Fearless
by abbymickey24
Summary: Bella hasn't had to be afraid for a long time, thanks to be protected by numerous vampires. When a mysterious vampire crosses her path, will that fearlessness save her?
1. Meet Bella Cullen

**FAGE 9: The Last Ride**

 **Title: Fearless**

 **Written for: TheDarkestFallingStar**

 **Written By: abbmickey24**

 **Rating: M**

 **Summary/Prompt used:** **Write whatever you want as long as pairing is one of mine and there's some angst but a happy ending.**

 **If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.**

 **community/FAGE-9-The-Last-Ride/93625/**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

 **Chapter 1 of 16**

 **-F-**

By societal standards, Bella Cullen can be considered your normal everyday 21-year-old. She isn't a classic beauty, like Grace Kelly or Audrey Hepburn, but she's been known to turn a head or two. She's a senior at the University of Anchorage, majoring in business. She has a job that she loves, as it leaves her smelling like coffee and cream and gives her a great discount on books. She has a great family that consists of two parents who shower her with love and affection, four older siblings who will not only protect her at all costs but she can also have fun with, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins that dote on her whenever they get the chance.

But that is where normal ends for her.

You see, Bella's last name has only been Cullen for about five years. Before then she'd been Bella Swan, with a mother and father who really shouldn't have had a kid.

She grew up in Arizona after her biological parents divorced and her mother moved them away. It wasn't a good childhood, and nothing changed when Bella was sent to live with her father in Forks, Washington. At least nothing changed until a unique family crossed her path. She knew the Cullen kids were different the moment she saw them, sitting across from her in a cafeteria at Forks High School. But it wasn't until a near death experience and being saved by one of them did she find out how truly different they were and that some things in the supernatural world actually existed.

She should have been scared when she found out the truth about them. After all, vampires in movies and books are written to scare you. The Cullen's were far from scary though and they proved it time and time again when it came to Bella.

They showed her what kindness and love was supposed to be like. They showed her that you didn't have to be bound by blood to be a family and that sometimes the greatest things that can happen in life are things that are almost impossible to believe.

Now for the last six years, she's been nothing but content and happy with the unexpected changes they'd brought to her life.

However, a new change is about to take her by surprise yet again. She'll need to call on all the fearlessness and knowledge of the supernatural world to save herself, and maybe just maybe, if she can survive it, she will find something unexpected in the process.

 **-F-**

 **Short, yes but will get a little longer. Some chapters will be long, some won't; it just depends on where the story took me at the time.**

 **I hope you enjoyed the beginning The Darkest Falling Star.**


	2. Unexpected Run-in

**FAGE 9: The Last Ride**

 **Title: Fearless**

 **Written for: TheDarkestFallingStar**

 **Written By: abbmickey24**

 **Rating: M**

 **Summary/Prompt used:** **Write whatever you want as long as pairing is one of mine and there's some angst but a happy ending.**

 **If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.**

 **community/FAGE-9-The-Last-Ride/93625/**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

 **Chapter 2 of 16**

 **-F-**

Bella is tired and her feet hurt. After a full day of classes starting at eight this morning, a quick study group to prepare a schedule for her finals, and four hours of work, she is ready to call it a day. However, she still has an hour to go and she's being kept busy with a few last minute stragglers in the bookstore/coffee shop.

The stream of customers slows with thirty minutes to go, and Bella breathes a sigh of relief as she begins to clean up. There are still a few people in the store, but all are slowly making their way toward the checkout desk, so she doesn't worry that they will head her way.

When the clock finally reaches ten, Bella has finished everything but totaling out her register. She's able to get that taken care of quickly and just a few minutes after ten she's waving a goodbye to her boss and stepping out onto the snowy sidewalk.

She pulls her hat down tighter over her head as she breathes in deep, allowing the cold air to rejuvenate her for the short drive home. When she'd first moved here, she hadn't thought she'd like it as much as she does since she'd hated the cold and rain in Forks. However, she'd been pleasantly surprised to find that the snow made all the difference. Yes, it had snowed in Forks, but here it seemed otherworldly almost.

Bella let her eyes wander the dark street, noting she is alone before she starts the walk to her car. She'd had to park around the block today, the other spaces in front of the store already taken when she'd gotten there. In a bigger city she might have been afraid, but this is Alaska and she'd never had a problem.

However, tonight she finds she can't say that again as a hand closes around her mouth and an arm grips her waist, pulling her a few feet down an alley in front of her. Her back hits the wall before her eyes move up to the man in front of her. A soft glow from a backdoor light allows her to just make out the black eyes rimmed in red before he growls.

If it's supposed to scare her, it doesn't work and she can't help but laugh.

"Do you always laugh before you die?" the man asks, leaning forward.

"Oh, I'm not going to be the one to die tonight, vampire." Bella says as she reaches for the buttons of her coat. "That will be you, if you don't let me go unharmed."

Not knowing what to make of those words, the vampire growls again just as Bella's coat falls open. His eyes dilate even more as the scent of multiple vampires reach his nose, causing him to take a step back.

"You smell them now, big guy?" Bella asks, a smirk planting itself on her lips.

"How are you still alive?" he asks in confusion the thought of making her his meal forgotten for the moment.

Bella chuckles again before lifting her wrist and pushing the arm of her jacket up, showing him the bracelet with the Cullen Crest on it. When he makes no acknowledgement of it, she sighs and pulls the pendant hanging around her neck from under her shirt. Even if he didn't recognize the first, he should most definitely recognize the Volturi Crest.

However, he surprises Bella when he says, "And? Is there special vampire repelling magic in them?"

"You've got to be kidding me." Bella says with a shake of her head. "Were you dropped on your head as a newborn or are you just that stupid?"

The vampire growls again, only for Bella to cut it off with a roll of her eyes and her words.

"Stop trying to be scary, it's not working. I've heard worse from my big brothers and uncles and if they don't scare me, you sure as hell aren't going to." she says, crossing her arms across her chest.

"You're human family has nothing on me."

"When did I ever say they were human?"

"You are."

"Yes, I am." Bella says, with a grin. "But, let me explain something to you, Mr. I'm-trying-to-be-a-big-bad- vampire-and-it's-not-working. I'm protected by the two largest vampire covens in the world and you'd have to be suicidal to harm me. The Cullen family has been my family since I was 15. And the Volturi-"

A hiss fills the air, cutting Bella off momentarily.

"Oh, did I strike a nerve with that one? I guess you'vehe

"They're sadistic bastards. Are you their whore or something?"

ard of them. Not really surprising since they are the ruling family of your kind." she says, her grin growing wider.

Bella huffs out, aggravated enough now to finish this back and forth. She steps forward poking her finger in the vampire's chest. "Okay, I'm cold, annoyed, and hungry so I'm going to say this one time and then I'm leaving before I forget what you are and hit you. One-The Volturi is not now nor have they ever been a group of sadistic bastards. Two-I'm no one's whore. And three-unless you want hell to rain down on you tonight I would suggest you leave town and never come back because when my FAMILY smells you on me, they're going to go ape shit."

Having caught him off guard, Bella is able to step back without him stopping her. She begins buttoning her coat back up, and as she reaches the last button her phone vibrates in her pocket. Pulling it free, she isn't surprised to see a text from her sister, Alice.

 ** _Jasper and Rose are on the way._** She reads before looking up at the vampire in front of her.

He's staring like he can't quite figure her out, but Bella doesn't give him time to remember that for the moment they're still alone. "Now, if I were you I'd go find my dinner somewhere else, preferably Canada, because my siblings will be here very soon and you really don't want to see them pissed off."

It takes a little too long for him do anything other than stare, because the moment he opens his mouth his words are cut off by two very loud growls.

Bella smiles, as his head whips to the opening of the alley. "That would be them. I'd run now if I were you." she says, gaining his attention once again.

He hesitates for a second, making Bella think he really is stupid, but another growl sends him in the opposite direction.

With a shake of her head at the whole confrontation, Bella straightens her clothes, steps to the entrance, and leans against the building to await her siblings.

 **-F-**

 **Now, we have Peter. I think Bella successfully threw him for a loop, how about you guys?**


	3. Overprotected For A Reason

**FAGE 9: The Last Ride**

 **Title: Fearless**

 **Written for: TheDarkestFallingStar**

 **Written By: abbmickey24**

 **Rating: M**

 **Summary/Prompt used:** **Write whatever you want as long as pairing is one of mine and there's some angst but a happy ending.**

 **If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.**

 **community/FAGE-9-The-Last-Ride/93625/**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

 **Chapter 3 of 16**

 **-F-**

Bella's swipes a little bit of lip gloss on and pulls her hair back into a bun before proclaiming herself ready for work. Grabbing her bag and her phone, she heads out of her room and down the hall to the stairs.

"No," she says when she catches sight of her siblings, Jasper and Rose, standing at the bottom. "Not today."

She's a little bit on the annoyed side and makes sure Jasper can feel it with his gift. It had been a week and a half since the unknown vampire had bothered her and they had been shadowing her every move since; it had gotten old quick.

"Enough is enough." she says, when Jasper makes no acknowledgement of her emotions. "He's gone."

"Doesn't matter." Rose says as she crosses her arms across her chest, trying to appear intimidating. "We're not leaving you alone."

"That doesn't work with me and you know it. I love you both, but you're driving me crazy." Bella says as she comes down the stairs, stopping just short of the bottom.

"Until we know for sure he's not coming back, you're stuck with us." Jasper says, mimicking Rose's stance.

"You're going to get me fired." Bella says, crossing her own arms.

"Like you need the money." Rose says.

"That's not the point and you know it." Bella says, coming close to stomping her foot. "Human experience, remember?"

"Well, most human experiences don't involve snarking off to red-eyed vampires wanting to eat them." Jasper says.

"Can we really blame him though? I mean, you, yourself, have told me I smell delicious." Bella says with a grin and causing Alice and her other brother, Emmett, to laugh from the living room. Bella spares them a brief glance before turning back to Jasper as he moves to stand in front of her.

"Don't make me put you over my knee, little one." he says.

Leaning her head forward a tiny bit and dropping her voice, Bella whispers, "How do you know I wouldn't like that?"

A growl rumbles out of Jasper' chest, making Bella chuckle.

Before either of them can respond to the other though their father, Carlisle, comes to a stop on the landing above Bella; their mother, Esme, beside him.

"Okay, children enough." Carlisle says. "How about we compromise? Bella, you let them take you and pick you up, and they leave you alone until then. Even if he comes back, he can't do anything to her in the store, not without drawing unwanted attention."

"I'm good with that." Bella agrees readily.

"Jasper? Rose?" Carlisle says, when they don't speak.

A good five minutes pass with both of them staring at Bella before they grumble their acceptance of the compromise.

Bella grins, but Jasper has one more thing to say, "If we come to regret this decision then I promise you I will spank your ass, and trust me you will not enjoy it."

"I love you too, Big Brother." Bella says, continuing to grin. He'd never put his hands on her and they both know it. The threat was just his own way of showing her he loved and is worried about her.

He rolls his eyes, but says nothing before he motions her on down the stairs so she can eat real quick.

Thirty minutes later, Bella is waving goodbye to Jasper and Rose from the front door of the bookstore. She deposits her things in her locker and then heads back out to the coffee shop to begin work. The morning passes in a busy mess of steamed milk, shots of espressos, and toasted bagels or biscotti. Bella enjoys early morning more than any other time; mothers dragging their kids away from the kid's section or college students freaking out over what they need for their English classes, are much more entertaining than the tired working class who just sit and read.

An hour before her lunch there is a lull in coffee making, and Bella moves over to clean and wipe down the few tables that are spread around in front of the counter. Her head is bent as she works on a particularly sticky spot when the bell above the door rings. She takes no notice of the customer coming in, but as she turns from that table to the next she catches a quick glimpse of the vampire who had accosted her ducking behind a bookshelf.

"This can't be a coincidence." Bella whispers to herself, knowing full well he can hear her.

She knows she should call Jasper, but she doesn't as she's curious to why he's here again.

"Were you trying to be sneaky? If so you failed miserably." she whispers, making sure only he can hear her.

When he makes no acknowledgment of her words, she continues. "Are you just going to hang out here all day? I'll tell you that got old with my family three days ago. Thanks for that by the way. They're become even more overprotective."

Again he makes no acknowledgment and Bella sighs. "Fine, ignore me. You better not eat anyone though, and you better not get me fired."

Bella goes back to work and tries to forget about the mysterious vampire lurking in the store until lunch. She'll go talk to him then.

However, making the decision causes her phone to vibrate in her pocket and she curses herself on the very human ability of forgetting about her sister.

Pulling her phone from her pocket, she doesn't even bother looking at who sent her a message, since she already knows it's Alice.

 _ **Are you crazy?**_ She reads before they begin a back and forth.

 _He intrigues me. I want to know why he's here again._

 _ **Jasper and Rose are going to flip.**_

 _Only if you tell them._

 _ **Bella …**_

 _He's not going to kill me in the middle of the store. Just give me time to find out what he wants._

 _ **Fine. You get your lunchtime and then he better go. If not I'm telling. And if you think it's bad now, you won't even be able to pee with the door closed.**_

 _Yes, mom._

 _ **Don't push it. You don't want me to bring her into it either.**_

 _I know. Sorry. Love you and thank you._

 _ **Love you too. Just be careful and I'm watching.**_

"Yes, I know you're watching, dear sister." Bella says to herself with a roll of her eyes as she pockets her phone and goes back to work.

The time slips by quickly and Bella is finally free to walk around the store. She finds the vampire in a back corner reading. Her eyes trail over the cover, but as it's nothing she can make fun of him for she says nothing on it.

Instead, she asks, "What's your name?"

"Why?" he asks, without looking up. "Do you want a name to give to the Volturi?"

He spits the last word as if it's a bad taste he's trying to get rid of and it annoys Bella completely. "No, it's either I can call you by your name or I can go with what I want to go with."

"Which is?"

"That dumbass vampire who wants to die." She's says, grinning when he finally looks up with a scowl.

However, he makes no move to offer his name, and Bella doesn't have time for this.

"Fine. I'm going back to work."

She turns, but is stopped when he speaks again.

"It's Peter."

"See, that wasn't so hard." she says, dropping down into the chair next to him.

He doesn't say anything in response, so she continues.

"So, do you have a death wish?"

"Some deaths are better than others." he says, making her shake her head.

"Emo much?"

"I don't know what that is, but I'm sure I don't have much of it."

"Seriously? How long have you been alive?" she asks, wondering where in the world he came from.

"Longer than you."

"Obviously, but how long? Like my dad has been around since the 1600s, my-" Bella says, only to be cut off.

"And you call me stupid. Vampires can't father children." he says, putting down the book and looking at her straight on.

"Are you sure about that?" Bella asks, grinning when he opens and closes his mouth like a fish; not knowing how to respond in the slightest.

After a moment she chuckles and says, "I'm just screwing with you, but he did deliver a baby the other day."

"Did he eat it?"

"Gross no, he doesn't eat humans unlike some people who've decided to annoy me."

"You're as crazy as she is." Peter says, shaking his own head at the strange human.

"Who is she?" Bella asks, curiosity taking over once again.

"Somebody you better pray you never meet."

"You didn't scare me, what makes you think someone else will?"

"She would."

Bella scoffs, but decides to change the subject as he clearly isn't going to give her any more information. Just as she opens her mouth to say something else, her phone vibrates and she pulls it out with a sigh.

"You need to go." she says, after reading the text from Alice.

"Why?"

"Because my sister only gave me so long to find out what you want and send you on your way."

"What if I don't leave?"

"Then she tells my siblings and they make you leave."

Peter stares her down for a few minutes, but when she doesn't give him anything else, he stands. Bella turns her head to watch him walk off, but is startled when she finds he's bent down and way too close.

"I'll see you again soon, little human." he whispers before moving away.

Bella turns fully and waits until he's at the door before she whispers her own words or word as the case may be. "Promise?"

Peter's head comes around and he stares at her for a few seconds, and then he's gone; pushing out of the door and walking off down the sidewalk.

 **-F-**

 **What does he want?**


	4. Found

**FAGE 9: The Last Ride**

 **Title: Fearless**

 **Written for: TheDarkestFallingStar**

 **Written By: abbmickey24**

 **Rating: M**

 **Summary/Prompt used:** **Write whatever you want as long as pairing is one of mine and there's some angst but a happy ending.**

 **If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.**

 **community/FAGE-9-The-Last-Ride/93625/**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

 **Chapter 2 of 16**

 **-F-**

There she is, and for the first time in longer than he wants to admit Peter feels his lips turn up into a smile. However, it really isn't anything to smile about, and it falls from his mouth quickly.

The first run-in with the human should have seen him out of Alaska and on to his next location, even though he didn't get what he was there for. He never stayed in one place for longer than it took to find his dinner. He'd made that mistake once and she'd found him. He'd barely managed to get away with all his limbs still attached and thankfully, with his constant movement, he'd so far been able to stay away from her.

Even if he didn't have the fear of her finding him, the human's so-called family should have been enough to scare him away.

He'd returned to the bookstore the next day, perching on the roof of the store across from it. He told himself that the only reason he was there was to prove she'd been lying to him about being protected by two vampire covens, that she was just saying anything to keep herself from dying the night before; and that when he proved it he had every intention of killing her. He ignored the fact that she knew about vampires, and focused instead on the fearless, smart-mouth that wouldn't save her a second time.

Then he'd seen them, flanking her on each side as they moved up the street toward the door of the bookstore. He was thankful for the wind blowing in his face and the snow falling around him, keeping him hidden from their advanced senses as he took them in. There were two of them, a male and female; both tall and lean. If it had just been the female, Peter would have shown himself. He'd been trained by two of the most sadistic bitches ever to walk the face of the earth, and he'd never lost a fight; and he had no doubt he would start with her.

However, the male was there and is the one that kept him firmly planted above them. Yes, Peter was taller and broader, but the scars that covered parts of his face and neck and the way he moved told a story that Peter knew all too well; he seen his share of fighting. Plus, he did have more motivation, in the form of the human girl, to win and Peter wasn't stupid enough to discount something like that.

So, he waited and he watched for a moment when she was alone.

By the third day, he was beginning to think he should give up as they stayed right with her, but his curiosity forced him back to the rooftop everyday until his persistence paid off a few days later. Oh, she still arrived with the two vampires, but they didn't enter the store with her. He didn't know what caused the change to the routine, but he wasn't about to let the opportunity go by and slipped in the door of the bookstore when he was sure they weren't returning.

He thought he'd gotten in unseen, but she'd dashed that quickly when her quiet words met his ears. He ignored her, guessing that it would annoy her. And couldn't help but smile to himself when he seemed to be right. He knew she could call in reinforcements at anytime, but his intrigue at who she was and how she came to know about vampires made the risk worth it. He didn't get much from her, except more of that smart mouth, when she finally came to him, and when he was forced to leave he left with even more questions; but with the full intention of having at least some of them answered the next day.

However, when he returned she wasn't there. He waited until the store closed, but the girl never showed. Neither did she come back any day after that. For three weeks Peter waited, before he gave up and started searching for her elsewhere. However, the wind and snow, while helpful before, proved to be a detriment to finding her scent. Until now.

It took him a month and a half, and putting his life at risk to finally find her. But there she is, walking across the college campus like she doesn't have a care in the world. It annoys him, and at first he tells himself that it is simply because she was the meal that got away, but no matter how much he wants to believe that, the truth had a way of sneaking up on him. She fascinates him, and makes him curious about things he had no business being curious about. She dominates so many of his endless thoughts that she is always there in head.

He knows he has to figure a way to get her out of his mind, even if he dies for it. Hell, dying by her coven's hands would probably even be preferable than dying by _her_ hands. It is that thought alone that has him coming up with the plan he does.

He leaves her long enough to set it up and then he is back, watching and waiting for the perfect opportunity.

 **-F-**

 **Oh, what is he going to do?**


	5. Taken

**FAGE 9: The Last Ride**

 **Title: Fearless**

 **Written for: TheDarkestFallingStar**

 **Written By: abbmickey24**

 **Rating: M**

 **Summary/Prompt used:** **Write whatever you want as long as pairing is one of mine and there's some angst but a happy ending.**

 **If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.**

 **community/FAGE-9-The-Last-Ride/93625/**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

 **Chapter 5 of 16**

 **-F-**

Bella's eyes flutter open, but she closes them almost immediately as pain shoots through her head. Groaning, she tries to remember the possible cause. She'd been in the library at school, getting ready for a study group. She'd been the only one in that specific area at the time and was grabbing the few books they would need. As much as she tries she can't remember anything other than that, and all it really does is make her head throb more so she gives up trying to remember for the moment.

Instead, she opens her eyes again. It takes her a moment to realize she isn't in the library anymore. Her eyes run over the rough wood of the ceiling before she slides them to the right taking in a wall of more roughened wood. When she can't figure out where she is, she moves her eyes to the left, and her headache is forgotten.

"You have got to be kidding me?" she hisses. "Did you seriously kidnap me?"

Peter doesn't speak at first, but Bella doesn't really care as she continues.

"You are a special kind of idiot, aren't you? I mean you'd have to be after the things I told you. I cannot believe this. Tu idiota. Did you knock me out?"

He nods his head once at her question, but still doesn't speak.

"With what?" she asks.

"A book."

"Thanks for that." she hisses before closing her eyes and ignoring him as her headache returns.

When the pain dulls a little, she asks, "Why?"

"I need something from you."

"Like I would give you anything now." she says, glaring over at him.

"You will. Or I will kill you now." Peter says, his tone calm which only serves to piss Bella off more.

"Then get to draining, asshole, because you're not getting shit from me." she says. "My guess is though, since you went to all this trouble, what you want is a little more important than killing me, so you won't do it."

When he doesn't move, Bella smirks. "That's what I thought."

Bella has no time to move before Peter is in front of her, his hand around her throat and her back pressed against the wall next to her.

"Make no mistake, human, I do plan on killing you, but first you will tell me what I want to know."

"Vaffanculo, si rapimento stronzo." Bella spits.

"What does that mean?" Peter growls.

Bella smiles slightly before she answers, "Fuck off, you kidnapping asshole."

Peter pushes away from Bella, his annoyance with her calling for him to just snap her neck. He can't though, not yet; not until he finds out all he can about her.

He paces around the small room a few times as Bella follows him with her eyes. She knows she's probably pushing it with him, but she can't make herself stop; years of not being afraid of the things in this world have taken away her self-preservation.

"I want to know all about you." he says after a good five minutes.

"Seriously?" she asks, curiosity spiking as to why, but she's not about to give him anything. "Good luck with that."

"You will tell me."

"Or what? You'll kill me? I think if you wanted to do that, you would have already." Bella says before falling silent. She vows to stay that way until he gets so annoyed he either kills her, lets her go, or her family finds her.

He growls again when she crosses her arms across her chest and leans back against the wall, her mouth tightly clamped shut.

"Speak." he hisses.

"I'm not a dog." Bella spits, annoyed with herself for saying anything.

"Dogs can't talk." He says, causing Bella to smile since she actually knows a few that can in their own special way. "I said speak."

Bella huffs, but does what he says although probably not the way he wants her too. "

"Figlio di puttana. Testa di cazzo, pezzo di merda. Guarderò a bruciare per questo."

Peter is in front of her before she finishes the last word, but when she doesn't flinch away he stops short of grabbing her again.

"Speak English." he says, a warning tone in his voice.

Bella stares up at him for a minute before she translates what she said. "Son of a bitch, dickhead, piece of shit, and I'll watch you burn for this. Is that English enough for you?"

He really wants to snap her neck and then drain her dry, but no matter how much he tells himself to do it, to make it painful, he can't. He can't physically make himself reach for her again. She was right, his need to know about her is bigger than his want to kill her. He needs to know why someone so insignificant is taking up all of his thoughts, so it doesn't happen again.

"I apologize." Peter says, deciding to go a different route.

"What?" Bella asks, confused.

"I'm sorry for kidnapping you and for hitting you with a book." He says, backing away and sitting in a chair across the room.

Bella is still confused, but also now a little suspicious with his sudden change.

When she says nothing, he continues, "I have food for you. It's not much, but I couldn't take much. It will keep you from starving though. There's also water, and a bathroom behind that door."

Bella doesn't turn her head to look where he points, as she finally realizes what he's doing.

"Being nice isn't going to work for you either." she says.

"Look," Peter says, sitting forward and ignoring her words. "I just need to know why I can't get you out of my head. Tell me that and I'll make your death quick afterwards."

Bella barks out a laugh. "Wait? So, let me get this straight. You want me to tell you all my secrets after you kidnapped me and hit me with a book, and then you're still going to kill me. Is that right?"

"Yes."

"So, not telling you will what? Not get me killed?"

"I promise I won't kill you until after I know." he says.

"Good to know. Goodnight." Bella says, before laying back down on the bed and turning away from him.

"What are you doing?"

Without looking at him, Bella says, "Going to sleep. If my not speaking is what is going to keep me alive, you can bet your ass won't hear another peep out of me."

Peter is left without knowing what to say to that. He realizes his mistake, but has a feeling changing his mood again will only get him the same response as before. He goes back and forth, but finally decides to let her be for the night. Tomorrow he'll work on her more.

 **-F-**

 **Oh, Peter, you really are a little stupid.**

I translated most in the dialogue, and used google translate so if it's wrong don't yell at me; yell at google translate.

The only thing that wasn't translated was Tu idiota, so that's you idiot.


	6. Let's Make A Deal

**FAGE 9: The Last Ride**

 **Title: Fearless**

 **Written for: TheDarkestFallingStar**

 **Written By: abbmickey24**

 **Rating: M**

 **Summary/Prompt used:** **Write whatever you want as long as pairing is one of mine and there's some angst but a happy ending.**

 **If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.**

 **community/FAGE-9-The-Last-Ride/93625/**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

 **Chapter 6 of 16**

 **-F-**

Bella is forced awake the next morning by hunger. She'd even had a dream that ran along the lines of Audrey's dream in the movie National Lampoon's European Vacation. When she opened her eyes, there is no confusion as to where she is since Peter had also been in the dream telling her to speak while tapping her on the head with a book.

Rolling over, she finds him still in the chair across the room his eyes on her, and she also finds she's not really good at staying quiet.

"That's really creepy." she says as she pushes the covers off of her, regretting it immediately as the cold makes itself known.

Peter doesn't speak as she pulls the covers around her, but he does make a note in his head to steal her a jacket soon as he tossed her things as soon as they were out of the library.

"I live with six vampires and not one of them is as annoying as you." she says, when he continues to stay silent.

She huffs when yet again he doesn't open his mouth.

"I guess it would be too much trouble for you to step outside while I use the bathroom." she says, knowing that that wouldn't matter, but it would give her a somewhat sense of privacy.

However, he proves just how much of an asshole he is when all he does is give her a shake of his head.

"Fine," she mutters as she stands and moves over to the door he pointed out last night, making a point to slam it closed after stepping inside.

She locks it as well, even though it would do no good if he chose to follow her. As she uses the bathroom, she glances around thinking.

There's a window, but it doesn't offer any hope. For one, he'd hear her and stop her before she could even get it open, but even if that wasn't the case it was too small for her to climb through.

She takes her time washing her hands so as to give herself more time to think. He isn't going to just let her go, of that she is certain. She is also certain that for the moment he isn't just going to kill her, but she isn't stupid enough to think that can't change. As much of a tough act she'd put on last night, in the light of a new day she really doesn't want to die. So what to do?

She could give him what he wants, but that still leaves her with his vow to kill her. Bella spends another five minutes in the bathroom, leaning against the sink and thinking before she finally comes up with something and hoping Alice can see. Even if it isn't anything to help them find her, at least they'll know she's okay.

Resolute in her decision, she moves over to the door and steps out. Peter is where she left him and because he's forcing her to make this choice, she makes him wait while she gets something to eat.

There isn't a full kitchen wherever he has her, but a small counter top is in one corner. On it is, as he said, enough to keep her from starving. She makes herself a peanut butter sandwich and grabs a bag of chips, an apple, and a bottle of water before going back to the bed. Sitting on it, she takes her time to wrap the covers back around her and open her chips and water. After taking a bite of her sandwich she finally glances up at him.

"My name is Bella, I'm 23, I was a senior in college majoring in business. My favorite color is black, my favorite movie is-"

"What are you doing?" he asks, cutting her off.

"You wanted to know about me. I'm telling you."

"That's not what I want to know. How did you end up knowing about vampires?"

"Oh no, that isn't how this is going to work." she says. "You get basics until we make a deal."

"You're in no position to make deals." he hisses.

"Then I go back to being quiet. Can you really live not knowing what I can tell you? Well, live the short life you now have without knowing." she says, seeing the exact moment she has him.

It takes a few minutes, but then it's written clear across his face as he says, "Fine, what's the deal?"

"I tell you whatever you want to know. In return you take me back."

"Take you back, so I can die. No thank you,"

"Not taking me back, is going to get you killed. But I swear, if you take me back I will make sure my family let's it go. You don't even have to take me back really, just point me to the nearest town, and leave while I'm walking there. I promise I'll keep them from coming after you."

Peter is silent for awhile, long enough for Bella to finish her meal and use the bathroom a second time.

But finally and with a reluctance that even Bella can hear, he says, "Fine, I take you back and you keep your family away from me."

Bella nods and hops off the bed, moving over to Peter and holding out her pinkie.

"What are you doing?" he asks, looking at her finger like he's never seen one before.

Bella rolls her eyes and grabs his hand, wrapping her pinkie around his.

"I tell you what you want to know, you let me go, deal?" At his small nod, she shakes their hands and continues. "Now we've pinkie promised. It's the most sacred of promises, and you can't go back on your word."

Peter stares at Bella like she's grown a second head, but all she does is grin before moving back to the bed.

"You're a very strange human." he says as she gets settled once again.

"Yes, I am." Bella agrees. "Now, what do you want to know?"

 **-F-**

 **Do you think they'll both keep their end of the deal?**


	7. Blood Isn't Thicker Than Venom

**FAGE 9: The Last Ride**

 **Title: Fearless**

 **Written for: TheDarkestFallingStar**

 **Written By: abbmickey24**

 **Rating: M**

 **Summary/Prompt used:** **Write whatever you want as long as pairing is one of mine and there's some angst but a happy ending.**

 **If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.**

 **community/FAGE-9-The-Last-Ride/93625/**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

 **Chapter 7 of 16**

 **-F-**

Peter thinks for a moment, still a little in disbelief at her change of tone and her agreement in helping him. Granted, it's not all exactly the way he wants, but he can make it work. He does wonder if she will be able to call off her family once he keeps his word. And he does plan to keep it, not because of that stupid promise, but because his word is the only thing he has left in this world.

He'll cross the bridge of her family when the time comes though, for now he moves on to finding out all he can.

"Why aren't you with your human family?" Peter asks, after figuring out where to start.

It's Bella's turn to think. She holds her finger up he opens his mouth again.

"Give me a second," she says. He nods to acknowledge her words before sitting back to wait. He doesn't have to wait long before she continues. "I'm not with my human family because they're both assholes and shouldn't have been parents."

"What does that mean?" he asks.

"It means that they were more concerned about themselves and what they wanted than the needs of their only child. The incubator that had me left my sperm donor when I was two and moved us to Arizona, where she decided sleeping with strangers and partying was more important than being home with me. Sometimes she'd leave me with a neighbor, most times though I was left alone at home. By the time I was eight, I could do more than some adults can do now. She met the man that would become my stepfather when I was 10, and I was still forgotten, so I started looking for attention elsewhere. I lost my virginity at 13, to a guy that would have been arrested if someone found out. And then I turned 14, and she caught me with a boy; only one of a few that was near my age.

"I couldn't tell you how many men she brought home; there was at least one or two, sometimes three a week-all different-for years, before she married Phil. I couldn't tell you how many times I had to make excuses why she didn't show up for a parent/teacher conference, or make myself dinner, or beg for money when there was nothing to eat in the house and I was starving. I couldn't tell you how many days I spent without power or water before she came home and realized she hadn't paid the bills. But that night I was the whore, a burden, and the biggest mistake she'd ever made in her life.

"I hadn't spoken to my sperm donor since we left, but suddenly I was sent to live with him. Did things change? Yeah, I stopped seeking attention from guys as I'd known that wasn't the smartest thing anyway and I really didn't like being anything resembling her. I also didn't have to worry about the lights or water being cut off, but that was it. He'd lived his life without worrying about me for 12 years and that didn't change when I came to live with him. He spent his time working, fishing, or watching sports. At first, I did everything I could to get him to acknowledge me. I cleaned, cooked, did well in school, didn't go out or make friends. But eventually, I gave up trying."

Bella finishes her story and leans her head back against the wall. She doesn't cry as she learned long ago, it doesn't help and it wouldn't magically make her past better.

Peter stays silent as he doesn't really know what to say, but Bella helps him with that.

"What about your human family?" she asks.

"Hearing about me isn't part of the deal." he answers, somehow knowing that even as he says it he'll answer any question she asks. But he can't appear to give in too easily.

"You're right, but it seem only fair."

"I'm giving you your life in exchange for your words. For mine, I need something else."

"LIke what?" Bella asks, hoping like hell it's not what she's thinking.

Peter thinks for a minute, and while one thing comes to him almost immediately, he nixes saying it. It's not that he would be opposed, even if he'd never done that with a human before, she was pretty and it had been a long time, but he remembers her response to him calling her the Volturi's whore, and after hearing what her human mother called her, he knows it would make her stop talking all together. He quickly pushes it to the back of his mind and latches onto the next thing he can think of.

"My words for a useless fact." he says, realizing how stupid it sounds.

"Seriously?"

"Or a joke, I'm not picky."

"What are you playing at?" she asks.

"Nothing. This is what I want. I don't get to hear many facts or jokes."

"Okay," Bella says. She's thrown for a loop, but doesn't want to argue anymore in case he changes his mind.

"So, a useless fact … " Bella says, racking her brain for one and finally coming up with something that fits where she lives. "The population density of Alaska is one person per square mile.

Peter nods and answers her question, making Bella shake her head. "I don't remember my human family which I'm glad about now."

"Why?"

"Because after hearing about your human family, it's nice to not know if it was like that."

"What if they were good people though?"

"Then I would be disappointed that I was taken from them." Peter says, causing Bella to understand. "Now, your turn."

"Okay, what do you want to know next?"

"How did you meet your vampire family and come to be with them?"

"I sort of met them in school or most of them. They moved to town about year after me. Right away, it was clear they were different. All of them were beautiful, and together romantically. It was weird to even me at first, since the story was they were adopted siblings. My father, was the new doctor and he and my mother didn't look old enough to have kids that old even adopted ones. But they were nice and quiet, Dad was a great doctor who could work anywhere and chose our town, so people didn't question too much.

"My siblings didn't talk to anyone else, but each other. They didn't acknowledge anyone else and after a while I even sometimes forgot they were there. I personally, never had any interaction with them until after I turned 16."

"What happened then?"

"I started to notice some things and then one of them saved my life."

"What and how?" Peter asks, leaning forward; his curiosity spiking even more.

"The what is they would watch me. At first, I thought I was wrong and chalked it up to coincidence since I never caught them outright staring or following me, but they just always seemed to be where I was. After a few months though, they starting speaking to me if they passed me in the hall. It was usually just a hello or good morning, but it was enough to make me wonder and for others to look at me like they wanted to know how I'd gotten their attention.

"Nothing ever moved passed that until the how in February. In Forks, Washington where I lived, it rains a lot. We get snow, but because the rain we also get a lot of ice. It was after school, and I was walking across the parking lot to go home. I had my head down and wasn't paying attention until I heard the screech of tires. By the time I looked up, the car was sliding toward me. I can still remember my eyes landing on my brothers, Emmett and Jasper, and the look of fear on their faces. They were the only ones I saw until all I saw was Emmett and relief replacing the fear as I was jerked away from behind. I landed hard on the ground. My head hit the pavement just as the car stopped in the exact spot I'd just been standing in seconds earlier. I remember looking up into Jasper's eyes as he lay on top of me, his arms and body like a cage of protection, and thinking how in the hell did he get to me so fast. And then I passed out.

"I woke up in the hospital a few hours later. I was in my own room, and Esme, my mother, was sitting beside my bed. All she did was smile and tell me things were going to be okay. I didn't know what to make of it at first and I had so many questions; like why was a woman I'd never met sitting by my bed and how Jasper had been in one place and gotten to another in seconds just to name a couple. But my head hurt and I went back to sleep before I could ask them.

"The next time I woke up, my mom had been joined by my father, Carlisle, Jasper, and my sister, Alice. Together they explained things. Some I believed right away, like the fact I had a small concussion and that my sperm donor couldn't be bothered to come see me. Others things though, at first made me think they were crazy or high. But the more they explained, the more I believed them until I knew that within just a matter of seconds my life had changed completely."

"So, they told you about our kind, just like that?"

"Yeah. Alice saw me when I first moved to Forks. It's why they moved there. She saw me becoming a part of their family. She didn't know why or when it would happen except there was snow on the ground. So they waited for a sign and the car almost killing me was it. I got out of the hospital the next day, and I moved in with them a week later. I've been with them ever since."

"Your human father didn't care?"

"You mean my human sperm donor; he doesn't get the honor of being called a father."

"Yeah, him."

"He didn't even bat an eye when I gave him the paperwork to make my parents my legal guardians. The only ones who cared were the gossips and rumors ran rampant, but none of it mattered as I'd finally found the one thing I'd always wanted."

"Which was?"

"A family that not only loves me, but also cares about what happens to me."

"And I took you away from them." Peter says, suddenly feeling like complete shit and realizing that maybe everything he'd done since he met her was wrong.

"You did, but you're going to take me back." Bella says.

"I am," Peter says with a firm nod. "I promise."

Both fall silent for a few moments after his words as they both lose themselves in their thoughts.

Bella finally believes his promise and knows that she'll keep hers too now; she'd been all set to betray him, but now she's not sure she could. Sure, he hasn't done much to change her mind, but there's something about him and the way he just promised that he'd take her back, that has her rethinking things.

Peter is wondering if finding out even more is going to work like he thought. Already, she's consuming more of his mind and he isn't sure it's going to get better. However, he also needs to know the rest.

He wars with himself on what to ask her next, but Bella takes it out of his hands when she asks, "Can that be it for today? My head is starting to hurt again, I'm hungry and so are you."

"How do you know that?"

"Your eyes are black. When is the last time you ate?"

"About three weeks ago." he says, making her cringe.

"You need to eat before you forget that promise you just made for a second time."

Peter chuckles as he pushes himself to his feet.

"What's so funny?" Bella asks.

"You knowing I'm going to kill someone and yet are still telling me to go eat."

"There is another way."

"Another way for what?"

"For you to eat. It's what my family does."

"There's only one way for us to eat." Peter says, walking toward her.

"No, there isn't. My family survives on animals. Four of them haven't even tasted human blood."

"That's not possible."

"I swear it is." Bella says, looking up at him when he stops in front of her. "They only drain animals, and while they all have their favorites any animal will do. You could try it too."

"I don't think so." Peter says.

"Why? Do you like killing people that much?"

"It's not that. It's just all I've known. Hell, it's what I was turned for."

"That was Jasper too, and if he can change his diet after the things he did at the start of his vampire life, anyone can."

"What was his life like?"

"Oh no, you don't get that yet. Try an animal and I'll tell you though."

"You're changing the deal again."

"Sue me." Bella says, grinning when Peter rolls his eyes.

"Fine, I'll try it. I don't want to draw attention by killing someone in the town near here and I don't want to leave you longer than I have to. Anything I should know before hand?"

"Carnivores are best, break their neck first, and pull the hair out or you're being throwing up a hairball."

"How do you know so much? I wouldn't think they'd take you hunting with them."

"They don't, but do you think I'm going to be human forever? They're teaching me everything now, with the hope that once I become a newborn I won't be so unprepared like some of them were."

"When do they plan on changing you?"

"This summer." Bella answers.

Peter has no response to that as he's not really listening to her answer, since his focus has shifted back to how she got him to agree to try feeding from an animal so easily. It takes only seconds for the answer to hit him like a ton of bricks and it renders him stupid for a moment. It's not because of the half-ass excuses he gave her either. The answer is so much more simpler than that; it's because she asked him to. He doesn't understand why that is all it takes, why it matters to him what she thinks or wants, but it does.

"Hey, where'd you go?" Bella asks, snapping her fingers in front of his face. "Did I turn into a big cheeseburger?"

"What?" Peter asks, shaking his head to clear it of his latest thoughts. "Why would you turn into a big cheeseburger?"

"You don't watch cartoons much, do you?"

"I've never seen one."

Seriously?" Bella asks. "They're the best, especially the older ones."

"But what do they have to do with you turning into a cheeseburger?" Peter asks, clearly confused.

Bella laughs and says, "In some cartoons, if one of the characters is really hungry, their companions or the first person they see, usually turns into some type of food."

"And that's entertaining to you?" Peter asks.

"Very." Bella says, grinning.

"Okay." Peter says, still not understanding the appeal. "But no, you didn't. I was just thinking."

"About?"

It only takes Peter a half second to come up with a response. "How to go about something, I know you're really not going to like."

"Which is?" Bella says, her eyes narrowing.

Peter doesn't speak as he bends over and drags something out from under the bed. He keeps his head down and doesn't see Bella's eyes widen as she takes in the thick rope in his hands.

"No," she says, pushing herself backwards on the bed to get away from him.

"I can't risk you running off." He says, his eyes still on the rope.

"I won't, I promise." Bella pleads. "I'll stay right here."

Peter growls in frustration, since it's just like with the animals. He wants to give in, wants to give her what she wants, but he can't; not this time.

Or so he thinks until she whispers, "Please, Peter," and he finally looks up at her.

The look of fear in her eyes and her body language has him dropping the rope like it's on fire. In the time he's known her, she's shown no fear, but that's not the case now.

"Why are you so afraid?" Peter asks, but either she won't speak or can't as no answer comes.

Peter doesn't know what to do, but he knows he won't be tying her up; not when she's looking at him like that. Finally, when she doesn't move, he slowly reaches forward and barely touches her cheek until her eyes focus on his face.

"I won't tie you up." he says. "But please don't run off."

"I won't." she whispers, casting her eyes away again as soon as the words are out.

Even though she isn't looking, he nods and steps away, moving over to the front door. He hesitates briefly before pulling it open and stepping outside. Again there is hesitation, but he soon takes off into the trees wanting to find his meal as quickly as possible.

He has no luck finding a carnivore as she said, but an elk crosses his path and he takes it down. It's not as good or even close to being as good as human blood, it's about the most disgusting thing he's ever tasted actually, but it does the job intended much to his surprise. He doesn't take time to think on it though and heads back to the cabin as soon as he's finished.

Bella is still in the same spot where he left her, lost in thoughts from long ago. Her mind is reeling with memories she's never told her family. Memories she thought she'd forgotten, but seeing that rope brought those two terrifying days of back, and she doesn't know how to get out of the tailspin her mind has gone in.

"Bella, look at me." Peter says, but while she can hear him she can't focus until his cold hands press fully against each side of her face.

Her brown eyes slowly meet his now red ones, and at his tentative smile she blows out a shuddered breath.

"Good," he says with a nod. "You're okay. Whatever it is, you don't have to be afraid of it anymore. And as much as it might not have seemed before, you are safe here, alright?"

Bella doesn't speak, but she believes him and nods letting him know she's heard him and understands.

"Okay. Are you hungry?"

Again she can only nod and he stands immediately going over to pile of food. He brings back a few different things, dropping most of it on the bed in front of her. He keeps hold of a bottle of water, opening it for her before handing it over and she drinks almost half before stopping.

Her eyes meet his again, and she whispers, "Thank you."

It's his turn to nod his head as he sits back down on the foot of the bed. He knows she won't talk to him about what happened, so he doesn't ask. Instead, he tries to get her mind off of it.

"I ate an elk." he says as he leans back against the wall.

A small smile flits across Bella's face at his words. She's grateful he doesn't ask what she knows he's probably wondering, and is happy to go along with it.

"How was it?" she asks, her voice to Peter's delight stronger than a few seconds before.

He shudders and sticks out his tongue, causing her to chuckle.

"That bad, huh?" she asks.

"Yes. You're family really does this all the time?"

"They do, but I told you carnivores are the best."

"I couldn't find one." Peter says, in a way that reminds Bella of a kid not getting his way.

It causes her to laugh again as she says, "Next time look until you do, and according to Emmett you'll be able to tell a big difference."

"What does he like? I mean you said they all had a favorite. What about the others?"

"He likes bears. Jasper prefers lynx. Alice and Rose, prefer foxes. My dad likes the coyotes, and my mom actually doesn't have a preference. The first thing she comes across she eats, so she can get it over with. To her every life is precious."

"Tell me more about them."

"Tomorrow." Bella says with a yawn. It's only the afternoon, but she has a sudden need to sleep the day away. She half expects Peter to argue, but he doesn't.

Instead, and with yet another nod of his head, he pushes off the bed and picks up the things she never got around to eating. He takes them back to the counter as Bella settles under the covers, her eyes closing and sleep dragging her into darkness before he makes it to the chair across the room.

 **-F-**

 **What had her so afraid? Any guesses?**


	8. I've Got You

**FAGE 9: The Last Ride**

 **Title: Fearless**

 **Written for: TheDarkestFallingStar**

 **Written By: abbmickey24**

 **Rating: M**

 **Summary/Prompt used:** **Write whatever you want as long as pairing is one of mine and there's some angst but a happy ending.**

 **If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.**

 **community/FAGE-9-The-Last-Ride/93625/**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

 **Chapter 8 of 16**

 **I need to take a moment to apologize to TheDarkestFallingStar, and other reading this. I planned on updating this morning as, for those that don't know, this whole story was supposed to be completed and uploaded yesterday. I got sick which threw off completing the last 7 chapters on time, but I again had a plan to work on them today and update ASAP. However, fanfic or myself messed up somehow and changes I made yesterday to this chapter weren't saved. When I came back in to fix it again this morning, a lot more was added (like 1500 words) and it changed things around. That means that next chapter that I've already pre-written, has to be redone a little bit, which is throwing off everything. I don't know if I'll get it uploaded today, but I will do so as soon as I can. I'm so so sorry, but I will work as hard as I can to get it finished.**

 **I hope you enjoy the new chapter. Lots of information in this one.**

 **-F-**

Bella's sleep is peaceful until it isn't. The dream starts suddenly taking her back to those two terrifying days when she was kid. Her breaths come out in quick bursts of panic and the words no, please, and mom are whispered over and over again. Peter doesn't move at first, having no clue what to do. But when she starts twisting on the bed and crying, he's by her side in an instant.

A light touch against her cheek and a call of her name, does nothing but make things worse. The same goes for a shake of her shoulder. When her tears intensify, Peter climbs over her and draws her into his arms.

She fights him at first, her hands pushing against his hard chest and the three words are said louder. He can feel her heart beating too fast, and he persists in calming her.

"I've got you." he whispers over and over, holding her tightly to him until she stops fighting to get away and goes limp.

When her breathing eventually evens out, he moves to lay her back down, but is stopped by her hands gripping the front of his shirt.

"No," she says. "Not yet."

He nods against the top of her head and draws her closer. He knows it's probably not the best idea, but can't make himself let her go.

They sit that way for so long, Peter honestly thinks Bella has fallen asleep again. So, it takes him by surprise when she speaks.

"I was nine." she says.

"What?" he asks a little confused.

But Bella ignores him as she continues, "I told you the incubator would bring home a lot of different guys. Most of them I just caught brief glances of as they snuck in or out, but a few I would come across in the kitchen the next morning. Most were friendly, even if a little shocked to find a kid standing in the doorway, but they never bothered me. There was one guy though who wasn't that friendly. I heard him come home with her, could hear them laughing and stumbling upstairs, and starting what they did. She started screaming for him to stop not too long after. At the time, I was still young enough to love her and care what happened to her.

"I went into her room and he was hitting her. I screamed at him to stop and he did, but only long enough for both of them to tell me to get out. When I didn't move, he got off the bed and pushed me out of her room and slammed the door. I banged against it until he came out again. He had some of her clothes in his hand, and he dragged me to my room by my hair. He used her pants to tie my feet to my bed, her shirts to tie my arms, and a pair socks to gag me. I lay there and listened to him hit her for I don't know how long. I finally fell asleep when it was quiet, but woke when the door downstairs slammed closed.

"I lay there for two days. I was able to get the socks out of my mouth, but I couldn't move anything else. When she finally came home and found me, she told me that it was my fault; that if I'd just left the room when I was told, it wouldn't have happened. That he didn't do anything he hadn't paid her for, and that maybe I'd learned my lesson.

"She didn't care that I was lying in filth of my own making, or that I hadn't eaten in two day, or that I got sick when I drank water too fast because I was so thirsty. And because she didn't care, that was the day I stopped caring about her and stopped seeing her as my mother."

Bella's voice trails off there and silence settles around the room once again. She's said all she wants to on the subject, and she hopes Peter won't ask her questions about it. Thankfully, he seems to sense that she's all talked out when it comes to her early life and doesn't bring it up when he finally speaks.

"Tell me about your true family.' he says, making her smile against his chest.

Lifting her head, she looks up at him before she starts. She can barely make out his features, but can tell he's looking at her too. She wonders if she should ask if he wants her to move before beginning, but when his arms tighten around her she just leans her head against his shoulder and begins.

"My dad was turned sometime in the 1600s, but he doesn't know the exact date. His father was convinced that vampires existed and it was his job to eradicate them, but he never had any luck. Dad was apparently more adept at finding them though as he was bit his time out hunting them. He doesn't know why he was spared, but he knew what he was the moment he awoke from his change and he hated it because he didn't want to kill people. He tried to starve himself for a while, but eventually the thirst became too much and he attacked the first supply of blood that crossed his path. It was a deer and when he realized he could survive off of them, he decided to make the most of the new life he was given. He ended up studying in Italy when he met the Volturi and he lived with them for 20 years, but-"

"Is that why you consider them family?" Peter asks, interrupting her.

"No, that is because of Edward and their need to make amends."

"Who's Edward?"

"He was my dad's first companion after the Volturi. After he left Italy, he came to America and became a doctor; a brilliant doctor. He was in Chicago during the Spanish Influenza Epidemic. Edward and his parents were three of his patients, and then it was only Edward. He was 17 and his mother had begged my dad to save him. So, Dad being lonely chose to turn him. He helped him gain control, but Edward didn't like being a vampire. He thought his soul was damned, and he eventually rebelled and left home.

"Before that though my dad met my mom. The way he tells it, he was struck stupid with her bright smile and beauty. She was human, married, and a mother at the time so nothing came from it. And then one day a dying patient asked to see him. It was her. She'd tried to kill herself after losing her baby. She remembered my dad and wanted him to be there with her when she left the earth. He couldn't let her die though and started the change before smuggling her out of the hospital. He was worried that she would be upset with him, but that wasn't the case and they eventually fell in love.

"Dad thought my mom's compassion and love, and the way she took to her new life would help Edward. But like I said, he just couldn't get past what dad had done to him and he left home in 1927. He started feeding on humans, that much our family knows, but other than that we have no clue what happened between the time he left and when the Volturi found and killed him. It wasn't supposed to be him though, a new guard member was sent out to take care of a rogue vampire and mistakenly came across Edward in the same area.

"To you the Volturi are sadistic bastards, but to my dad they were friends. When Edward died, and they realized it was by their hand, they did everything they could to make amends. They, of course, killed the guard member, but other than that dad didn't need anything they could offer until me. They allowed me to choose. I could stay human until it was my time or I could be turned when I was ready, but either way I would be under their protection as well. Over the years they've just become another family to me. I've spent summers in Italy with them, alone and with my family. They were the ones that taught me Italian, Demetri, one of the guard members, taught me the bad words though. When I turned 20, they gave me the necklace with their crest on it, so I would be protected in case I ran into other vampires when my family wasn't with me."

"So, they all just accepted you, no questions asked, simply because they killed one vampire on accident?"

"Yep, or at least most of them did. There were a few that weren't happy about it, but I eventually won all of them over with my charm and sparkling wit."

Peter snorts a laugh at that and is rewarded with Bella narrowing her eyes up at him.

"I can be charming." she says.

"Being a smart ass is not the same as being charming." he says, a smile turning up one side of his mouth.

"You say po-ta-to, I say po-tah-to. It still worked out though."

Bella feels Peter shake his head, and asks, "What?"

"I just can't seem to completely grasp the concept of you considering our kind family, especially the Volturi." he answers.

"They were better than what I had."

"I understand you saying that about your family, but the Volturi still feed from humans. How can you be okay with that? You made me change my diet."

"Okay, one-I didn't make you change your diet. I gave you a different choice and you decided to go with it. And two-yes, the Volturi still feed from humans, and believe me I've tried to change their minds. The only thing I've managed to do is get them to be more selective in who they feed from, the dregs of society mainly, and while I still don't love the idea of feeding from any human, I've accepted that's who they are. That's what a true family does. You accept the differences, learn from them if you can, and just love them no matter what."

"I think I understand now." Peter says after a moment. "I guess I couldn't before because I never had anything like it, or can't remember it anyway."

"I'm sorry," Bella says, and she means it. It saddens her when people don't have what she has now.

"It is what it is." he says, shrugging the shoulder her head is laying against.

"Yeah, but-" Bella tries, but he cuts off her.

"Let's get back to your family."

She stares up at him for a few seconds, but when he doesn't look down she continues. "Rosalie was next to join the family and I will tell you, between all of them she's one of the two it will take me longer to convince not to come after you. She's extremely protective when it comes to me, and is a force to be reckoned with if something is a threat.

"My dad found her close to death in the middle of a street in New York, after her fiance and his friends hurt her." Bella doesn't elaborate on the things done to Rosalie, but Peter can figure it out and subconsciously his arms tighten around Bella again.

She ignores it and moves on with her story. "Dad doesn't know what made him change her and after all these years, he still can't tell you. When she first woke up and for a few years after, he wondered constantly if he made the right decision as Rosalie was like Edward and hated being a vampire. But then she found Emmett.

"She was out hunting when she came across him being attacked by a bear. All it took was one look into his face and she took him home to dad, and begged him to change him. They've been together since the moment Emmett opened his eyes. He was the complete opposite of Edward and Rosalie. He loved being a vampire from the start, thought it was the coolest thing ever. Watching him laugh, have fun, and take to his new life as well as the love they found together was what finally brought Rosalie around. She finally saw that her human life wasn't what fate had in store for her, it was this one and Emmett.

"Then there is Alice and Jasper. They were already vampires when they found our family, but fit in seamlessly. Alice is like you, in which she doesn't remember anything before she opened her eyes as a vampire. The way she tells it, she just woke up in the woods and that was that. She was alone for a year before she met Jasper in a diner, in Philadelphia. He was still drinking from humans, but hated it and Alice showed him another way."

"And this Jasper, he was the male that was at the bookstore with you and the other one I need to be worried about, isn't he?" Peter asks.

"Yeah."

"He used to be a fighter somewhere, didn't he?"

"How do you know that?" Bella asks.

"His scars."

"Oh, I forget about them as I can't see them as well as your kind can, but yeah. He was a major in the Civil War and was changed while he was evacuating a town to safety. He fought in the southern wars for a long time until he escaped."

"He went by the Major then, didn't he?" Peter asks, dread and fear taking hold as he waited for the answer.

"He did." Bella answers, taking note of the change in Peter's tone. "I still call him the Major though, but only when he's being a pain in my ass."

"Shit," Peter says, pushing Bella away from him.

He's off the bed and pacing faster than she can blink, his hands pulling at his hair as he keeps glancing at the door.

"Do you know Jasper?" Bella asks, but Peter doesn't answer right away as he continues to curse and pace.

Finally, she can't take anymore and says, "Nutmeg is poisonous if injected intravenously."

The randomness of her statement stops him and he turns slowly toward her. "What? What's nutmeg?"

"It's a spice, but it's also a random fact and that gets me your words. So, what is going on? How do you know my brother?"

Peter sinks down in the chair across the room and buries his hands in his hair before he speaks.

"I don't know him personally, he was before my time, but I heard all about him. I heard how no one was like the Major, how he was a good soldier, and how they should have gone after him when he left. He was what all of us strived to be, and we never came close to."

Bella sits in disbelief, not knowing what to make of this new development. From Jasper, she'd heard enough about his sire and her sadistic mate to know she never wanted to come across them. But she also now knew what Peter's earlier vampiric life was like and it made her look at him even more differently than she had already started too.

"Who changed you, Maria or Charlotte?" She asks when he doesn't continue.

"How do you know them?" Peter asks, shocked that she knows those names.

"Jasper told me, just before he told me that if I saw one of them as a vampire to run away as fast and as far as I could; and if I was human to make sure they knew exactly how protected I was."

"He's right, but Charlotte is the only one you have to worry about now."

"What happened to Maria?"

"I killed her to escape. I tried to go back and kill Charlotte too, but almost died myself in the process. Now I just try and stay away from her. She's found me a few times, and each time I barely get away."

"Can you not just set a trap and kill her?"

"I can't kill her, it's physically impossible."

"Because she's stronger."

"No, Maria was always the stronger of the two."

"Then why?"

"She's my sire."

"So?" Bella says, still not understanding.

"A vampire can't kill its sire."

"Are you sure?" Bella asks. "I've never heard of that."

"I'm sure. When I tried, it caused me physical pain to even rip an arm off, and taking her leg sent me to my knees. Charlotte laughed at me then, and told me. She'd learned it from someone who was part of the Romanian guard before the Volturi took over."

"Wow." Bella says. "I wonder how many vampires actually know that."

"You can bet the Volturi do, but other than that I can't tell you."

Bella nods absentmindedly, but then asks, "Why not just have someone else kill her?"

"Like who?" Peter asks back. "The only ones who would stand a chance is the Volturi and she takes great care to stay off their radar. Or Jasper, and I doubt he'd be highly motivated to help me, especially now."

Bella smiles and says, "Or you could just take her to Forks."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because vampires aren't the only supernatural beings out there."

"What are you talking about?" Peter asks.

"There are a group of boys on the Quileute Indian Reservation, shapeshifters who turn into giant wolves for the sole purpose of protecting humans and killing vampires. It started long ago, there's a legend about it but I can't remember most of it right now, but I do know it happens because of some kind of gene or something they have. It only comes into play when there are vampires about and had been dormant for a while until my family arrived in town. The chief of the Quileute's wasn't thrilled with them being there, of course, knowing what would soon happen. He wanted them gone before the first boy phased, but that wasn't about to happen as they still had me to worry about. Plus, it wouldn't have mattered; as soon as my family came to town the gene reactivated and the ones with it would still phase even if they left. Eventually, the Chief acknowledged my family was different from regular vampires, but was still a wary and proposed a treaty. The terms were they couldn't feed or even bite a human, and couldn't cross over a boundary line that was set up. If any part of it was broken, accident or not, they would attack. By the time we left, eight had phased already and two were close."

"How did that treaty work with you becoming a part of the family?"

"It was a touchy subject for a while, I won't lie, but as long as I stayed human while we were in Forks, my family wasn't breaking the treaty."

Peter sat silent for a while, thinking about all that Bella had said. It could work, as Charlotte had never come after him with more than just herself. And while she was strong, she'd never be able to take on at least eight beings, made specifically to kill her, at once. He had to make sure though.

"How do you know they can kill vampires and they don't just say that?"

"I've seen them in action."

"Seriously?" Peter says, glaring at her. "Do you have no self-preservation at all?"

Laughing, Bella shakes her head. "Not really, at least not anymore. I do recognize it's not a good thing though. I've just never really had a reason to have it for a while, so I don't think about it. But the whole seeing the wolves in action thing wasn't my fault. I just happened to be where they caught up to the three nomad vampires."

"And where was that?" Peter asks, not quite believing she just happened to be there.

"My home." she says, sticking her tongue out at him like she somehow knew what he thought. "My family was hunting, so I was alone when they came in our yard. They must have caught their scents and were curious. I'm not sure they even knew I was there, and really I didn't know they were there until I heard the pack growling. When I looked out my window, the four boys that had phased already were close to finishing them off. I watched as they ended it, and started to burn them. My family showed up seconds later, having come back early after hearing the noise."

"Did your family know these nomads?"

"No, and they were very grateful to the pack as they undoubtedly saved me as it wouldn't have taken the nomads long to realize I was the only one there. Plus, they'd already killed a fisherman and there was no guarantee they would have stopped with him or me. One really good thing did come out of it though."

"What's that?"

"Seeing how thankful my family was for saving not only my life and the lives of others, showed the pack that my family only wanted what they did. It eased the last lingering tension between the two sides. The treaty was still upheld, of course, but if they came across each other somewhere else the hostility and provocation was gone. The pack started coming to dad if someone on the reservation need help, and they set up a place he could meet them on our side of the line to help. When we left they were there to say goodbye, but not in a we're glad you're leaving kind of way. It was nice."

"Okay, that answers my question about being able to kill vampires." Peter thought, but he still had a couple more.

"If I do take her to Forks and they kill her, can I expect to die too?"

"It could have been a possibility, I'm not going to lie, but don't worry just like you had me earlier after my nightmare. I've got you now."

"Why do you say that"

"Because I've already told you about them and what they're capable of. Now, I'm going to tell you how to survive."

"Before you do, why? Why are you helping me after what I've done to you and what I've threatened to do to you?" Peter asks because he has to know.

"For starters, I hate Charlotte. Hate what she had a hand in doing to my brother. I imagine it's close to what she's done to you and still probably doing to countless others. She needs to be taken out. As for why I'm choosing to give you the information to keep you alive, even after everything you've done, is because you aren't a bad person. Did you go about things the wrong way? Definitely, but everything you've done since then has negated it. You've had so many chances to kill me and haven't done it. You didn't have to get me food, hell starving me would have been a great way to make me talk, but you didn't do that. You didn't have to make the deal you did with me, knowing it is going to risk your life to keep it. You didn't have to help me through reliving the worst moment of my life, but you did. So, while I might not have liked how you got me here, I understand why you did it and I've forgiven you for it."

Peter can't respond when Bella finishes speaking. He doesn't know what to say or even to think really. He doesn't understand how she can be so forgiving, even after she gave him the reasons why. Maybe it's because, for him, forgiveness only came after weeks of torture; even when it was something as minor as not coming as soon as he was summoned. When that thought crosses his mind, he knows what he has to do. He knows that from this moment forward, if he can survive Charlotte, he'll do whatever it takes to not only earn her forgiveness in his mind, but he'll do what he can to make amends to her family for the worry he's undoubtedly caused them; even if that means letting them kill him.

He knows he could take her back at this moment and let them get on with it, but he has to take care of Charlotte first. It will be the one thing he can give them before he lets them have at him, so they don't have to worry about her. He'll let Bella go tomorrow and then he'll wait on Charlotte, wait for her to find him and after he leads her to her death, he'll come back for his. He knows he doesn't have to listen to whatever Bella still has to tell him and just fall to this pack of hers, but her family deserves the pleasure of killing him.

While Peter continues to think, Bella sits across the room watching him. She doesn't know where his thoughts have gone, but she doesn't like the look on his face. She doesn't really know how to describe it either. If she had to, the closest she could come to would be acceptance and determination. On most, that wouldn't be a bad thing, but on him it makes dread settle in her stomach.

She wants to ask him about it, but before she can he asks, "How can I survive the wolves, and how do I get to Forks?"

She's almost doesn't tell him, feeling like things won't turn out like she thinks it will. However, if this is what he chooses to do she has to give him a way to make it out alive.

She hesitates for a second before she says, "You won't have to cross the treaty line before they know you're there, especially if you arrive at night. That's when they're all out on patrol. As soon as you hear them coming find a tree, and when you see them get into it as high and as quickly as you can. And then just wait for them to deal with Charlotte. If she runs off, most will follow but not all, so stay where you are. Once she's dead, ask to speak with Sam. He's the alpha. He might not phase back at first, but should once you tell him who Charlotte was, and why you're there. If that doesn't work, tell them who she was to Jasper, since they know his story, and that I sent you. That will get him or at least one of the others to phase to human and speak to you. They'll want to make sure you actually know me and the family, so they might ask you something. They know what you know, so it shouldn't be hard to come up with the answer, but I would leave out how you came to know me."

"And they'll let me go?"

"I fully believe so."

"Okay," Peter says with a nod. While it wasn't an absolute guarantee, he had to trust it as she knew more about them than he did. "And getting there?"

"From Anchorage, just follow the coastline. You'll run right into it."

"Alright," Peter says. "Is there anything else that I haven't asked or you haven't covered that you think I should know?"

She looks almost apologetic when she says, "Well, there's one more thing that will help. You're not going to like it though."

"What's that?"

"Your eyes are going to have to change from red to gold or as close as you can get before then. That means feeding on animals as often as you can, and not just while you're with me or when you're hungry. You can't slip up either."

She was right, he didn't like it but he would do it without question.

Pushing himself to his feet, he says, "I guess I better go eat then. I'll be back soon."

"Okay," Bella says as he leaves the cabin quickly.

As she waits for him to come back, she loses herself in thoughts of their conversation. The more she replays it over in her mind, the more she comes to regret telling him the things she did. Not because she wants the pack to kill him, far from it, but because somehow it seems like the end of their time together. And while it shouldn't that thought thoroughly depresses her.

 **-F-**

 **Oh, so we have wolves too. Interesting. LOL**

 **How many of you also hate her incubator as much as I do?**


	9. Hello, Peter

**FAGE 9: The Last Ride**

 **Title: Fearless**

 **Written for: TheDarkestFallingStar**

 **Written By: abbmickey24**

 **Rating: M**

 **Summary/Prompt used:** **Write whatever you want as long as pairing is one of mine and there's some angst but a happy ending.**

 **If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.**

 **community/FAGE-9-The-Last-Ride/93625/**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

 **Chapter 9 of 16**

 **-F-**

Peter has been gone for hours, and Bella is worried. She wants to go look for him, but she can't for multiple reasons; so she does the only thing she can do. She sits, waits, and thinks. Her mind goes back over everything that has happened since the night she met him, and she can't help but smile when she thinks how far they've come.

It amazed her that she'd opened up to him like she did, but even more she was amazed by his reaction to her. He didn't have to be nice to her, didn't have to be there when she needed him most. But he was and that endeared him to her more than anything else. It also made her admit that when the time came for them to part, she was going to miss him. It made her sad to think about.

She still wanted to go home, of course. She missed her family and knew they had to be worried about her, but she knew that once he took her back that would be it; she'd never see him again. He wouldn't be able to come back, not if he wanted to survive. She had no doubt she'd be able to talk her family into not going after him, but if he showed up again even she wouldn't be able to call them off.

A cold breeze sweeps through the cabin, and Bella looks up as Peter finally comes in the door.

"You were gone a while." she says.

"Sorry." he says, but doesn't elaborate on what took so long. Nor does he say anything else to her as he moves over to the chair, sits down, and keeps his eyes averted.

"Did you get another elk?" she asks, after a moment.

"Yeah," he says and again it's all he says.

"Are you okay?" Bella asks.

"Fine." Peter says, before finally looking her at her. "We need to talk."

"Alright." Bella says, but she doesn't like the tone in his voice; which probably means she isn't going to like what he has to say.

"It's time for you to go home."

Bella looks down, so he can't see how much those words bother her. If she's being honest, she knew this was coming, but she doesn't like it. She isn't ready to say goodbye yet.

Peter watches her from where he sits, not understanding her body language. She should be happy, but she looks far from it and he doesn't know how to feel about it.

Instead of asking though, he says, "I'm going to go to town and get you a coat. When I return, I'll run you back to town. You'll be able to find a phone and call your family."

Bella nods, blinking back tears. She doesn't fight him on his decision as she can tell it will do no good.

"I'll be back soon." Peter says, standing up and moving back toward the door.

Bella doesn't watch him leave, and the moment the door shuts behind him she covers her mouth with her hand as her tears let loose.

Peter hears Bella start to cry and almost turns back. He can't though. He has to let her go and end whatever this is between them. He'd give anything to be able to explore it more, but there's just no way. Her family would never accept him after what he did, and nothing he did now or in the future would change that.

He'd spent those hours away stupidly thinking maybe there was something, but going over all the what ifs only told him the same thing. She belonged at home and he belonged far away from her. He wasn't even going to go back anymore, once Charlotte was dealt with, as he knew that there would be a chance of seeing Bella if he did. And seeing her again after today, would only make him want things he didn't deserve or be allowed.

Peter steps off the porch and then takes off into forest before he can hear Bella start to cry harder. He makes it to town quickly, and scopes out the best place to find what he needs. The town is deserted at the moment, the day not quite having started yet and Peter is able to move freely without notice. He soon locates a store that has what he needs in the window and he moves around to the back, breaking the lock on the door. An alarm sounds, but he's in and out and back in the forest within seconds.

He takes off back to the cabin, but is brought up short before it comes into view as the sound of Bella crying meets his ears followed by the scent of fresh spilled blood.

The jacket he stole is left in the snow as he makes a beeline for the cabin, taking the door off it's hinges in his haste.

His undead heart drops into his stomach as he comes to a stop and takes in the scene before him. Bella is in the middle of the room in the chair he occupied so many times these last few days. Her blood is dripping onto the fabric from the many cuts on her arms, and her head is tilted back by a pale hand wrapped around her throat.

Peter's eyes move from her to the woman standing behind her, and the sadistic smile she wears.

"Hello, Peter," Charlotte says, and he knows just from her tone that it's going ot take a miracle to get Bella out of this alive.

 **-F-**

 **Dun, Dun, DUNNNN!**

 **Don't hate me. Please.**


	10. Found Again

**FAGE 9: The Last Ride**

 **Title: Fearless**

 **Written for: TheDarkestFallingStar**

 **Written By: abbmickey24**

 **Rating: M**

 **Summary/Prompt used:** **Write whatever you want as long as pairing is one of mine and there's some angst but a happy ending.**

 **If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.**

 **community/FAGE-9-The-Last-Ride/93625/**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

 **Chapter 10 of 16**

 **Not beta'd yet, so all mistakes are mine. I will edit and replace as soon as the whole story is finished.**

 **-F-**

Carlisle stands in the middle of the woods, Esme beside him. Their eyes dart around as they wait for the others to join them. They'd once again found nothing in their search and were praying the others had news.

It had only taken an hour to realize Bella had been taken, but it had been enough of a head start for the vampire. He'd gone south that much they were sure of, and they'd been sure they were closing in until it started to snow and the wind picked up. Even with their advance senses, they'd lost the trail soon after. Since then, there had been nothing, but they weren't giving up until she was safe.

Carlisle blames himself, having thought the threat of the vampire was gone after that day in the bookstore, and allowed Bella to go back to school without Jasper or one of the others with her. She'd begged him though after being cooped up in the house for most of her winter break, and if she did go out she was followed by all four of the others. He was always hard pressed not to give her what she asked for when she so rarely asked for anything.

"She's going to be fine." Esme said, suddenly and for the 1,000th time. At first it had come out as a question, but the longer Bella had been missing it had changed to an anthem of sorts; a way for Esme to hold onto hope that they would see their daughter again.

Carlisle doesn't get a chance to respond, except to wrap his arm around her shoulders, before Emmett and Rosalie appear in the clearing.

With a small shake of their heads, Esme lowers her own and Carlisle feels a silent sob vibrate through her body.

Thankfully, she isn't given time to do more than that before Jasper and Alice slide to a stop at the edge of the trees.

"We know where she is." Jasper says, before they disappear back the way they'd come.

The others follow at run, each one pushing themselves faster than they've ever gone before.

As they dodge trees and fallen logs Alice tells them where they're going.

"She's in a cabin somewhere near Palmer." Alice says. "She's hurt though."

"How did you see?" Carlisle asks, even as he pushes his body to move faster.

"She decided to drag herself to the door, and she kept repeating a cabin near Palmer." Alice answers. "I don't know anything else though, and I'm so sorry I couldn't figure it out sooner."

"It's not your fault." Carlisle says.

He knows now why they'd had no luck as they had only searched south and west so far. There was so much ground to cover that they weren't able to spread out anymore than they had. Plus, they didn't know if the vampire was alone, even if that's always how he approached Bella.

The group skirts the edge of town after they find nothing on their side, and soon catch the scent of the one that took her. They follow the lone scent, keeping an eye out for any surprises along the way.

Jasper is in the lead and is the one to smell Bella's blood first. His growl is deafening in the near silent woods; he'll kill anyone who dared hurt her.

They all see her at the same time, her body half lying outside the door of the run down cabin. The others pull to a stop just short of the porch as Carlisle and Jasper continue on. Jasper disappears inside as Carlisle kneels down next to Bella.

Her eyes are closed and blood is pooling slowly on the floor underneath her. She's breathing, but it's raspy and Carlisle can tell she doesn't have much time. If it wasn't so cold, she'd probably be dead already,.

"Sweetheart," he whispers, his eyes filling with venom as he takes in the injuries he can see.

Her eyes flutter open and he's shocked to see that even with all she's been through a smile appear on her face.

"I-" she starts, but is cut off as she coughs, blood splattering onto the floor.

"Don't try to speak. I need to change you now." he says, picking up her wrist.

"I ... know." she says, struggling with the words, but that doesn't stop her. "You … have to … know. It wasn't him."

"What?" Jasper asks as he squats down by her legs.

Bella tries to look at him, but it hurts too much to move and she settles for looking at Carlisle as she says, "He … didn't … do this. It was … Charlotte."

"The Charlotte I know?" Jasper asks.

Bella coughs again, more blood hitting the wood before she says, "He … left with her … to save me. Don't … hurt him."

It's the last words she's able to get out, and Carlisle knows they have no time left.

He motions for Jasper, not worrying that his son hasn't done this in many, many years. He won't hurt her more than he has to.

Without any more prodding, Jasper lifts Bella's leg and bites into her ankle as Carlisle does the same with her wrist. Each pump as much venom into her body as they can before they move on to other spots. When Carlisle removes his teeth from her neck, he sits back on his heels and looks over at his family. Emmett has Esme, Alice, and Rose wrapped in his arms as they stare down at their daughter and sister.

"Did we make it in time?" he asks, his voice full of emotion.

At that moment, Bella screams as the burn of the venom takes over.

"I think so," Carlisle says, breathing a sigh of relief as more screams pierce the air. "We need to get her home though."

"Carlisle, we need to leave Alaska. If Charlotte is still around, she won't be alone." Jasper says.

"We could take her and anything she brings.." Emmett throws in, but Jasper is shaking his head before he even finishes.

"She has no scent and can mask others as well. If she were to attack, we wouldn't be able to fight and protect Bella." Jasper says.

Carlisle doesn't give anyone else time to say anything else on the matter. Bella is their main priority at the moment, and they were doing what Jasper said.

"Alright, we leave then. I'll call Aro and get us a plane." he says, looking at Jasper and motioning toward Bella with his head.

Jasper nods that he understands and immediately takes Carlisle's spot as he stands. Reaching down, he gathers Bella as carefully in his arms as he can. Her screams follow them as they leave the cabin behind, the others on alert for anything as Carlisle makes the phone call he needs too.

They make it back to Anchorage within twenty minutes, but it's will be hours before Aro can get them what they need. They spend that time in the trees far enough away that no one can hear Bella. By the time the plane touches down early the next morning, they can see, instead of just hear, the venom taking effect. Her outward injuries have stopped bleeding and are starting to heal. She's still crying out often, but the pilot and his gift allow them to get Bella onboard the plane with no one the wiser.

As the plane takes off Jasper settles Bella in the bed in the back of the plane, the rest of the family crowding into the small area around them. No one moves as the plane levels off, but they all breathe a sigh of relief that she's going to be okay.

 **-F-**

 **Well, that's that. She's on her way to becoming a vampire.**


	11. I Know A Place

**FAGE 9: The Last Ride**

 **Title: Fearless**

 **Written for: TheDarkestFallingStar**

 **Written By: abbmickey24**

 **Rating: M**

 **Summary/Prompt used:** **Write whatever you want as long as pairing is one of mine and there's some angst but a happy ending.**

 **If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.**

 **community/FAGE-9-The-Last-Ride/93625/**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

 **Chapter 11 of 16**

 **-F-**

Peter follows Charlotte as they run, his body tense and ready just in case she decides to go back and finish what she started. He might not be able to kill her and it would hurt him to rip her apart, but he would deal with it to make sure she didn't get back to Bella.

Bella

He'd hated leaving her, but it had been the only way to give her a chance. Not that it probably did any good. The door was broken, no one knew where she was, and she'd been hurt; if her injuries or the cold didn't take her, a wild animal would more that likely smell the blood and come to investigate.

He'd tried to physically stop Charlotte after he got back to the cabin, but anytime he got close she just hurt Bella more. And even when he promised to leave without a fight if she just stopped, her agreement only came after she threw Bella to the floor with enough force to break her leg and god knew what else.

The only sound Bella had made to that point had been cries of pain, and he'd honestly thought that was all he would hear. However, she'd surprised him when she struggled to ask where she was. Charlotte had been dragging him out of the cabin when he told her, he didn't know how it would help, but she deserved to know where she was probably going to die.

"Keep up," Charlotte hisses, drawing his attention away from Bella and onto her and the fact he'd slowed down.

He picks up speed, again careful to stay just behind her but he ignores her as much as he can, especially when she goes on a tangent about what she will do to him when they get back to Mexico; he doesn't need to listen to know though. He'd heard and been through it before; she was predictable in her torture methods after all. Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that though as he has every intention of getting her to Forks way before then. He just needs to figure out a way to suggest it without making her suspicious. However, he doesn't have to worry on it long as she gives him the perfect opening herself.

"How many people are you going to unnecessarily kill for me?" she asks, almost to herself but Peter goes with it.

"What do you mean unnecessarily?" he asks, moving to run beside her.

"Exactly how it sounds. I want carnage just for the sake of carnage, and you're going to do it all."

"Why?"

"It's been too long since I saw a town painted in blood. Think of it as your gift to me for having to chase you so long." she answers, giving him that sadistic grin of hers.

"And bring the Volturi down on my head? No, thank you." he says, knowing he can't seem to give in too easily.

"This is going to happen or we go back to the cabin now. If your pet is still alive, you'll be the one to kill her. If she's not, you'll paint me a pretty picture on the wall with her blood."

"Fine," Peter says, after a few moments. "I know a place."

"Oh, you do?" she asks.

"Yes, I went through there as I headed up this way. It's a small town, there's probably snow this time of year. The white will make a nice background for your carnage." he answers, even though it makes him sick to have to say the last part.

"Good." Charlotte says, her sadistic grin in place. "Lead the way."

Peter nods and moves ahead, changing his direction slightly. They make it to the coastline within an hour and then turn south. Charlotte stays on his heels or right next to him the entire time. They have to take to the water twice, but it doesn't slow them down. Peter doesn't know how long they run, but day turns to night and back to day again before he starts to think they might have overshot it.

He continues on though, not wanting to make Charlotte suspicious. He figures if they have run too far then it won't really matter, they were far enough away from Alaska and Bella; he'd just have to think of another way to kill or get away from Charlotte.

However, things seem to be on his side when he hears a long, low howl. He isn't sure how he knows it's the wolves Bella talked about as opposed to just a normal wolf, but he's positive that they're where they're supposed to be.

Peter starts to slow as another howl pierces the silent woods, closer and louder than the first before coming to a stop and turning to face her.

"What are you doing?" Charlotte asks, her tone bordering on annoyance as she stops as well. "We're no where near a town."

"I know," Peter says, as movement over Charlotte's shoulder catches his eye. She narrows her eyes at him, but before she can say anything else he just grins and continues, "But we are near them."

As Charlotte turns to see what he's talking about, Peter pushes off from the ground, clutching onto the bottom branch of a tree and swinging himself up.

Charlotte's eyes widen slightly at the sheer size of the four wolves making their way toward them, but she quickly masks her alarm and glares up at Peter.

"They're just animals. Easily dealt with, so get down here and take care of them."

"I'm good where I am." Peter says, knowing it will only piss her off that he doesn't jump to do her bidding.

He's right and her growl meets his ears as a fifth wolf joins the first four.

"Better hurry, before more show up." he says, wanting to goad her into attacking them quicker.

"You'll pay for this disobedience." she says.

Peter shrugs his shoulders as he climbs higher and the wolves get closer.

Charlotte hisses at him, but he ignores it as he sit down on one of the top most branches and waits for the show.

He doesn't have to wait long, and while it doesn't take long, watching her die and hearing her beg for help that won't come is as entertaining as he hoped it would be.

The wolves start to spread out in a circle around Charlotte, a sixth one joining the pack before she attacks. She darts for the first one, and manages to get her hands on it briefly. But she's no match against them as they all pounce before she can get a good grip. Her screams of help are met by snarls and growls as the wolves fall on her, taking her to the ground. Their teeth rip and tear at her hard skin, cutting into it like she's human. It doesn't take them long to have her in so many pieces that even if left alone, it would take decades to put herself back together and maybe not even then.

They then turn their attention to him, circling the tree and growling. Two try to jump for him and he's glad he moved as they easily clear the bottom branch.

Three more wolves join the pack before he can speak, but he doesn't let that deter him.

"I need to speak to Sam." he calls down, earning low growls but none phase or give him any indication of which one that might be, so he continues. "Bella sent me."

That's all it takes; the two largest wolves phase to human immediately.

"I'm Sam." The one standing directly under him calls up. "How do we know Bella sent you? And if it was her, why would she send a red-eyed leech to our town?"

He expects this thanks to Bella, and tells them everything; even that Bella was now possibly dead. He then promises that Charlotte's death was the only reason he was there, and would leave immediately, never to return. Once he finishes speaking, he falls silent as the two men whisper back and forth too low for even him to hear.

It seems to take hours before they both nod and look back up at him.

"Fine, Leech. Out of respect for the Cullens and for Bella, we'll grant you your life this one time. But heed this warning, if you come near here again you will die."

"That works for me." Peter says. "I do have one question though."

"Ask it and then go." Sam says.

"How did you know we were here? She had no scent and could take mine away as well."

"We heard you." is all he says, but Peter isn't sure he believes him.

It really doesn't matter though as it was time for him to go before they changed their minds.

Peter nods his head at the group below him before he leaps to the tree next to his and continues on from tree to tree.

However before he can lose sight of the wolves, a woman's voice stops him. "Was she happy?"

Peter drops to the ground, and turns finding a beautiful girl now standing behind the two males.

He doesn't speak at first and the woman asks again, "Was Bella happy with the Cullens after they left?"

"She was." he says. "She was in college and had a job."

The woman nods and looks to the male that hadn't spoke to him. Peter barely sees the small smile that passes between them before he turns and takes off into the trees back the way he and Charlotte had come. He can hear a few of the wolves following him, but he doesn't worry as they don't bother him. He figures they're just making sure he's leaving.

When he hits the first water crossing, they back off and it's just him and his thoughts. He's happy to finally be free from Charlotte, but it's bittersweet because of Bella. His thoughts stay on her as he runs back to the cabin.

He doesn't stop until he's standing in front of it. The scent of Bella's family is in the air, but knowing they somehow found her doesn't give him comfort because the smell of her blood is more prominent.

He steps up the stairs slowly, finding that she somehow managed to drag herself to the door. Her blood has dried, and has stained the wood in a circle that looks way to big. He's drained many humans her size, knows how much blood they have in their bodies, and it looks like it's all on the floor.

His head bows as anger at not only what Charlotte did, but what he did consumes him. He lashes out the only way he can, taking out many of the surrounding trees and a few animals before he is able to gain control again. Going back to the cabin, he drops to his knees and reaches out, letting his fingers run over the red stained wood near the door.

"I'm so sorry." he whispers.

Peter stays in that same position until he needs to feed; days have passed, but it means nothing to him. He leaves the cabin sometime in the middle of the night, and doesn't question why he heads into the forest for his meal instead of toward a town. He knows his diet has officially changed, since it's the only thing he has left to give to Bella. The only way he can pay tribute to the human girl that changed his life.

The days that follow all start to run into each other. The sun rises and falls on the small cabin and the sad vampire as Peter wallows in the things he's done. He only ventures out to feed every few days, the rest of the time he sits on the bed staring at the last place she lay.

With each meal, his eyes go from bright red to a burnt orange before leveling out to a deep gold. The first time he sees the change, in the bathroom mirror, he can't help but smile. Bella would have been proud of him.

It is that thought that causes him to make the decision he does.

He returns to Anchorage a few days later just after sunset. His first stop is the alley near the bookstore, where he leans against the wall for a while remembering their first meeting. From there he perches on the top of the building across from the bookstore, watching the silent street and wishing he could go back in time.

His last stop of the night is the library on the college campus. He breaks in and sits in the row he took her from until he hears someone coming to investigate the alarm going off. He slips quietly away as security guards sweep the first floor, the book he hit her with tucked safely under his arm.

He stands at the edge of a treeline hours later and stares at the building in front of him. He's knows going in there isn't a good idea, that the man he hopes to find inside will be anything but happy to see him. He probably won't give him a chance to say the things he needs to, will probably call Bella's siblings to follow and destroy him, but Peter knows he can't leave this town until he at least tries to apologize for what he's done.

It takes another hour before Peter is ready. With an unnecessary deep breath, he steps out of the trees and crosses the parking lot, walking into the hospital a minute or two later. He heads straight for the little old woman sitting behind a desk, her bright smile in place as he stops in front of her.

"May I help you?" she asks kindly.

"Is Dr. Cullen working today?" he asks.

The woman's smile turns into a frown as she says, "I'm sorry. Dr. Cullen left a few months ago. Were you a patient of his?"

"No," Peter answers, a frown appearing on his own face. "I met him in Forks, where he lived before here. I was hoping to catch up while I was in town. I tried calling his phone a few times, but he hasn't answered. I just thought he might be here."

Peter doesn't know where the lie comes from, but he doesn't question it, especially when it helps to get more from the woman even if it's not what he wants to hear.

"Oh." she says. "I'm really sorry to tell you that he doesn't even live in town anymore."

"Do you know where he might have gone?" Peter asks.

"I don't, and even if I did I couldn't give you that information. I can tell you that there was a family tragedy and he took time off to be with his family."

"What kind of tragedy?" Peter asks.

"His youngest daughter, Bella, was killed in a car accident while away with his other children."

Her words hit Peter like a ton of bricks. He hadn't realized until now that there had been some small part of him that had hoped Bella had survived, but now that was gone just like she was.

He doesn't know what look the woman sees on his face, but it makes her stand up.

"Are you okay?" she asks.

"Yes, just a little shocked to hear that." he answers, wanting nothing more than to leave the building and this town.

"I'm sorry." the woman says, and he can tells she's sincere.

"It's fine. Thank you for your time." he says and without another word he turns, leaving the hospital.

It takes all he has to walk at a slow pace back across the parking lot, but as soon as he hits the trees he takes off, running at full speed. He makes it back to the cabin quickly and that's where he stays because now it and the memories that reside there have become his home.

 **-F-**

 **I hope you guys liked this chapter.**


	12. Year of the Newborn

**FAGE 9: The Last Ride**

 **Title: Fearless**

 **Written for: TheDarkestFallingStar**

 **Written By: abbmickey24**

 **Rating: M**

 **Summary/Prompt used:** **Write whatever you want as long as pairing is one of mine and there's some angst but a happy ending.**

 **If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.**

 **community/FAGE-9-The-Last-Ride/93625/**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

 **Chapter 12 of 16**

 **-F-**

 _ **Two weeks after Bella's change …**_

"She's extraordinary, Carlisle." Marcus says as he comes to a stop beside the proud father.

"She always has been." Carlisle says, as they watch Bella use Emmett's back as a springboard to flip over backwards, missing Demetri's attempt to grab her.

She lands gracefully and sweeps her leg out, knocking Demetri to the ground. She immediately jumps, coming to rest with one knee on his chest with a laugh. Demetri only gives her a smile and a nod of his head before he pushes her off and motions for Felix to step up to take her on.

"You'd never know she was only two weeks old." Marcus says.

"No, you wouldn't." Carlisle agrees. "I think it helps that she has the boys willing to help her focus her control somewhere."

"Well, Felix and Demetri are always up for a fight." Marcus says with a smile.

The men stand silently for a moment, watching Bella lose to Felix thanks to being distracted by a butterfly.

When she moves on to fighting with Emmett, Marcus speaks again his voice low so it doesn't carry down to the courtyard below. "She has a mate."

Carlisle's head turns sharply to look at his long time friend. "Please, tell me it's someone here." he says, even though he already knows the answer.

Marcus shakes his head. "Unfortunately, no."

"I was afraid of that." Carlisle says with a sigh.

"Are you going to tell her?" Marcus asks.

"Do I have to?" Carlisle asks honestly before he explains. "It has to be the vampire that took her and I don't how that will work out, especially with everything added in."

"Yes, your four other children along with Demetri and Felix wanting to kill him and this Charlotte, and her only remembering her human life in pieces, and him not at all, does pose a problem." Marcus says. "If it helps though, you do have time to figure it out."

"What do you mean?" Carlisle asks.

"Right now, you know just like I do that her mind is so overloaded with all the new things she can do that there's no time to focus on the stuff that doesn't make sense, like the mating bond, or that takes time to hone, like her gift and her speed. Eventually her mind will settle though, it did for all of us, and she'll start to realize that something is missing. She won't know what it is and it will frustrate her to the point that you'll have no choice but to tell her. Which means, you have a year, give or take a few months." Marcus answers.

Carlisle nods absentmindedly as his thoughts turn to a time when he'll have to explain to Bella the things she can't remember, namely the parts that directly involved her change and the vampire that caused it.

He watches his daughter laugh and fight with her brothers and friends and can only shake his head. He isn't looking forward to explaining anything or the anger that could possibly come from it, but as it was his decision to keep it from her, he'd deal with it the best he could when the time came.

 **-F-**

 _ **Four months after Bella's change …**_

"I can't kill you." Bella says out of the blue, causing both Jasper and Emmett to glance over and Demetri and Felix to stop what they were doing.

"I would hope not." Emmett says, chuckling.

"Not you," Bella says, with a grin. "You I could kill if I wanted to. Jasper on the other hand, even if I wanted to, I couldn't kill him. Dad either."

"What are you talking about, Bella?" Jasper asks, amusement in his voice.

Ever since her change, if she wasn't eating or fighting with them she was reading or scouring the internet to help her focus. That in turn provided random statements at odd times like the one she'd just made. While it was usually amusing, this time included, it was something she wouldn't be able to find on the internet.

"A vampire can't kill their sire." Bella says.

"Where did that come from?" Jasper asks.

Bella shrugs her shoulders before she says, "I don't know. It just sort of popped into my head. Is it not true?"

"I've never heard that." Jasper says, causing Bella to frown.

"Then why would I think of it?" she asks.

Jasper doesn't have an answer for her, but Demetri pipes up putting in his own thoughts.

"You could always test the theory." Demetri says.

"I'm not going to try and kill Jasper," Bella snaps through a growl, her newborn anger rising at the thought of hurting her brother.

"Why not?" Felix asks. "It's not like you'd actually kill him for real."

"There will be no attempt to kill Jasper." Aro says, silently ghosting up behind Bella and placing his hand on her shoulder. "What you said is true, sweetheart, and Demetri and Felix know this."

Bella eyes narrow and dilate, causing the two vampires in front of her to start backing up. They've learned over the last four months that when she gets that look that it's not good. Bella hops off the low wall she'd been sitting on and stalks slowly forward.

"You tried to get me to hurt my brother." she snarls.

"We're sorry, Bella. We were just trying to have a little fun." Felix says, trying to placate her. However, it does not good.

Bella closes the distance between them before they can so much as think to get out of her way. She takes both down with a close line to the throat, that has both Jasper and Emmett cheering; even Aro can be heard chuckling as he heads back into the castle. Felix and Demetri though aren't laughing as Bella's hands immediately grip the front of their shirts, and they find themselves being tossed threw the air like ragdolls.

Again, her newborn speed and strength are a detriment to them as her knee comes down hard on Demetri's stomach, pushing him into the ground at the same time she grabs Felix's leg and flings him behind her.

Jasper and Emmett give her a few seconds before they move forward to stop her from doing any real damage. However, just as they get their hands on her she stops and steps back on her own.

Jasper sends her a little bit of calmness just to help, but stops when she looks up and smiles before saying, "Thank you, but I'm fine."

He gives her a wink and squeezes her shoulder, sending her a dose of happiness to show her how proud he is that she was able to gain control on her own. However, his mind is going 90 miles an hour. He's realized that there is only one place she could have possibly heard the information she did, and he doesn't like it. If he had his way, she'd never know about Peter, but Carlisle had told him and the family what Marcus had said much to all of their displeasure. Jasper had honestly thought they'd have more time though, but if she was starting to remember things he'd told her, then that meant it was only a matter of time before she had to be told about him, and that just pissed him off. She deserved better than an asshole for a mate. Yeah, he'd saved her from Charlotte, at least a little, but that didn't automatically forgive the other things he'd done. If he hadn't taken her, she would have never come across Charlotte to begin with.

"Dude," Emmett hisses, kicking Jasper in the leg to gain his attention. "Reign that shit in."

Jasper's eyes focus first on Emmett, straining to hold onto a snarling and spitting Bella before they move to Demetri and Felix, both who have taken up fighting stances in front of Bella just in case she manages to break free. As he tightens his own grip on Bella's arm, he thinks of the moment he met Alice, letting the memories of that day calm him down.

As he feels himself relax, he pumps as much of that same feeling into Bella as he can. It takes a little while before he feels her body start to uncoil. When she stops snarling, Emmett loosens his hold slowly until he's sure she won't run off. She's still a little tense, and her eyes are more black than red when she finally looks up at him, but she doesn't move so he let's go completely.

Jasper immediately replaces Emmett's hold with his own, turning her and pulling her into a tight hug as he whispers, "I'm sorry."

He smiles slightly when her arms come up to wrap around his waist, returning the hug, but he still feels bad about sending her into that uncontrollable anger; since it's the one thing she hates the most about being a newborn. They've done what they could to try to help her gain control of it, and while she'd just proved she could get a hold of it if she felt it creeping up and could work through it; it was a whole other story if it came on her suddenly like it did because of his gift. Thankfully, those times were few and far between in these last four months, but even so they still left her feeling like a failure.

"Stop, please," Jasper whispers, squeezing her tighter when the familiar emotion flows into him. "This was my fault, not yours."

She nods against his chest and he can tell she's trying to pull it back, but it takes him sending her his love and encouragement to make it fully go away.

When his emotions are all he can feel, he steps back and cups her cheek with his hand, running a thumb under one still too black eye.

"Let's get you something to eat," he says. "It will make you feel better."

Bella nods, offering him a small smile before taking his hand and letting him lead her to the underground tunnel and out into the forest.

 **-F-**

 _ **Nine months after Bella's change …**_

Bella roams the hallways of the castle alone, counting the large stones that make up the walls. No one has approached her since she got here, but it doesn't bother her, especially with how she's been feeling. Over the last week, she'd grown increasingly more bored with everything. Just last week she'd been fine with rereading the books she had, finding new things on the internet, sparring with her brothers and Demetri and Felix, but now it just seemed so mundane. It frustrates her completely because she doesn't know why. She can't explain it when asked or to herself after hours of thinking on it.

She knows her family is worried about it, can see it written on their faces or feel it from Jasper when it gets so bad he slips. They'd spent the last two days trying to get her excited about something, but it had done no good. In an attempt to make them feel better she'd tried to pretend this morning, but it had been such a chore to appear happy and content that she'd ended up snapping at Alice and Emmett. Snapping at her mom had been the finally straw though, and feeling bad, she'd left the house they were staying in and came here where she could find a spot to be alone.

Bella continues to walk around the castle for another hour before she decides to go back home. She's no closer to figuring out why she's feeling like she does, but she doesn't want her family to worry anymore than they already are.

 **-F-**

 _ **Ten months after Bella's change …**_

Carlisle sits in his study, his eyes staring at nothing as he goes over the last month. Bella had grown increasingly restless and he now knows that the time has come to tell her the truth. He'd tried to deny that what she was going through was what Marcus had told him about, but after this last week, when she'd started snapping at all of them if they so much as even looked at their mates, he knew he couldn't deny it any longer. He'd also spoken to Jasper and learned that the reason she was lashing out was because she was feeling envious, jealous, and confused. Now, he just had to figure out what to say and when to say it.

He knew she was going to be upset, they'd lied to her from the beginning, but that was something they were going to have to live with.

Carlisle starts to go over the different ways he can bring it up, but his attention is soon drawn to the door of his study as a quiet knock sounds throughout the room.

"Come in," he calls, already knowing who is on the other side.

He smiles and stands as Bella pushes the door open and sticks her head into the room.

"Am I bothering you?" she asks.

"Of course not, sweetheart." he says, motioning her to come in further. "What can I do for you?"

Bella waits to speak until she's standing in front of his desk, then looking him in the eyes she says the last thing he expects, "I want to go home."

All movement in the house stops as everyone turns their attention to Carlisle and Bella, their minds immediately starting to wonder what is about to happen.

"You are home, sweetheart," Carlisle tries, but Bella is shaking her head before he finishes.

"No," she says. "This isn't my home. I don't know how I know, as I can't remember the house in Alaska, but that's where I'm supposed to be I want to go back to there."

Carlisle opens his mouth to respond, but Bella doesn't even let him speak this time. "Please, dad, let me go home."

That's all it takes for him to agree, and with a nod he says, "Okay. We can go home."

The bright smile that appears on her face, and the excitement in her voice as she says, "Thank you, I'm going to go pack," should make him as happy as he just made her, but it doesn't. All it does is make him worry, and wonder what is going to happen even more.

 **-F-**

 **YAY, they're going home.**


	13. Back Where It Started

**FAGE 9: The Last Ride**

 **Title: Fearless**

 **Written for: TheDarkestFallingStar**

 **Written By: abbmickey24**

 **Rating: M**

 **Summary/Prompt used:** **Write whatever you want as long as pairing is one of mine and there's some angst but a happy ending.**

 **If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.**

 **community/FAGE-9-The-Last-Ride/93625/**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

 **Chapter 13 of 16**

 **I messed up. Somehow I added an extra chapter, but there isn't. So, that means there are only 16 chapters including the epi now, which means only four more to go.**

 **Not beta'd, so mistakes are mine. Will fix once the story is complete.**

 **-F-**

It took a week before the family was ready to leave Volterra. Most of that time, for Carlisle anyway, was spent fielding worried questions from not only his family, but the members of the guard as well. Carlisle didn't have an answer for most of them. Alice couldn't see anything, when it came to what was going to happen, and that made them all nervous.

However, while they were all feeling the effects of the unknown, they had to admit that the change in Bella's demeanor was unmistakeable. She was smiling more, laughing and cutting up with everyone, she hadn't yelled or gotten angry once. All in all, she was excited about something again, and that alone told them that while they might not think this was a good idea, it was what she needed.

The plane ride home is not as loud as the trip over, but there is enough noise between Bella and Emmett picking on each other and Rosalie and Alice talking about updating the family wardrobe that Esme and Carlisle can have a quiet conversation, without being overheard.

"She's going to hate us," Esme whispers.

"Sweetheart, I don't think anyone could hate you." Carlisle says, slipping his arm around her shoulders. "And I really don't think Bella could hate any of us. However, I am fully expecting her to be angry, so we do need to be prepared for that. I will be taking full responsibility for the decision though, and hopefully she won't stay mad at the rest of you for too long."

"This isn't all on you, Darling. We all agreed to keep it from her." Esme says, looking up at her husband.

"But I had the final say." Carlisle says, giving her a small smile that she doesn't return.

Worry is still written all over her face, but Carlisle doesn't know how to make it go away and they both fall silent for the rest of the flight home.

Carlisle spends that time thinking on what to say and how to explain their actions, but by the time the wheels have touched down on the runway he's only decided to get it over with as soon as possible. He doesn't speak as they all disembark from the plane and get away from the airport, and Bella's excitement at seeing the house keeps him quiet for a little bit longer.

Even with everything still hanging over his head, he can't help but smile as she takes in the place they once called home. Her eyes are wide and her head turns as she looks over everything, a big grin on her face.

Bella is the first one to move from the trees, her legs carrying her quickly to the porch where she bounces in place waiting for the others. The door isn't locked, but even after being told she still waits for them to join her.

When they do, Bella reaches out and twists the knob, allowing the door to swing open. The musty smell that accompanies a house being closed up for awhile meets their noses, but Bella seems to hardly notice it as she steps inside. Again her head swivels, taking in everything she can see.

The others crowd in behind her, the memories of their time here assaulting them as they watch her and wait for her direction.

Bella moves further in the house, her fingers trailing along the bottom of the bannister lightly before she moves over to the entryway of the living room. She spends a few seconds glancing around before she finally turns to them.

"Where is my room?" she asks, happiness and excitement in her voice.

"Second floor, last door on the left." Carlisle answers, but before she can move he continues. "Bella, sweetheart, we need to talk though."

"Can it wait until after I see my room?" she asks, her eyes hopeful.

Carlisle knows that it really can't, he's waited too long already, but when her eyes glance toward the stairs he gives in to her request.

"Of course," he says, smiling.

"Thanks, dad." she calls as she's already moving.

Within seconds, Bella is standing in the hallway just outside her room. She takes only a moment to wonder what she'll find inside, before she reaches out and pushes the door open. Her eyes roam over everything as she steps forward. She's pleased to find that a few memories start to swirl through her head.

It doesn't all come back though. Like the blue apron hanging off the back of a chair. She knows it was for a job, but she doesn't remember what that job was. The book on the desk was for one of her college classes, but she can't remember the name of the professor.

Bella moves further in the room and looks at the shelves along one wall. Books take up most of the space and a few she can remember, but it's the pictures in the frames on one shelf that draw her attention.

There is one where she is in a gold gown, a weird square hat perched on her head and a rolled up piece of paper in one hand. She's clearly human and as she concentrates, the word graduation floats through her mind. Another shows her hanging over Emmett's shoulder. He's laughing and her arms appear to be getting ready to slap his back. Yet, another shows her standing next to a car a big smile on her face, but no matter how she tries she can't remember driving it.

Bella drinks them all in, hoping to jog her memory more. However, before she can the restlessness she'd felt in Volterra starts to creep back up, even stronger than before. Her eyes move over her old room as she tries to quell the feeling, but nothing she sees helps.

Almost as if her body is on autopilot, she moves to the window. She slides it open before she can think about it and sticks her head out, taking an unneeded deep breath. If she thought it would help, she's sadly mistaken as it just intensifies the restlessness.

It hits her suddenly that this isn't right; that this place isn't where she's supposed to be. Without thinking about her family downstairs, she climbs through the window and drops silently to the ground beneath her.

Her legs carry her forward immediately, something inside telling her exactly which way to go.

 **-F-**

 **She's getting close. :D**


	14. Reunion

**FAGE 9: The Last Ride**

 **Title: Fearless**

 **Written for: TheDarkestFallingStar**

 **Written By: abbmickey24**

 **Rating: M**

 **Summary/Prompt used:** **Write whatever you want as long as pairing is one of mine and there's some angst but a happy ending.**

 **If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.**

 **community/FAGE-9-The-Last-Ride/93625/**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

 **Chapter 14 of 16**

 **Not beta'd yet. Will fix and update once the story is complete.**

 **I know some of you are really angry with the Cullen's, but you all have to remember that they don't have all the information you as readers do. So, don't be mad at them. Also a few people have mentioned that keeping Bella from her mate is breaking the law. I, honestly, don't know where that came from as it's not canon, so that's not something they've done.**

 **-F-**

Peter sits on the edge of a cliff, his legs dangling in the open air as his eyes sweep the forest below him. His thoughts like always are on Bella. He misses her, there is no denying that, or the fact that he'd give anything to see her again.

The last eight months have just been one long day to him. Before her, it would have passed in the blink of an eye, but now it's like there is no end. And there really isn't one, not for him anyway. Sure, he could find someone to take him out, go back to Forks and let the wolves have at him, but what is the point?. On this plane or the next, if there is one, he has a feeling he'd continue to miss her.

His life has become routine, and he doesn't see it changing anytime soon. He spends his mornings in the cabin, either sitting on the bed and staring at the last spot she lay while going over every word they shared, or rereading the book he stole from the college library. It's not interesting, since it's on something called economics, but the pages are still worn and the binding is cracked from the many times he's opened it.

The afternoons he spends running. He never goes far, even if everything inside him screams for him to just keep going. It's almost like something is pulling him forward, and he has to will his body to turn back. He doesn't know what it is or why it's a fight everyday, but he's not sure he wants to know. Especially, since he doesn't know where it will take him.

Every three days he hunts. He's proud to say that he hasn't slipped once, and it's not a total surprise that he hasn't wanted to. His diet was for her after all, just one more thing she gave him that he could hold on to. He likes to think she'd be proud of him though, and he can almost imagine the smile on her face if she ever saw his eyes.

Peter sighs at that thought and lets it drift away in the wind before he pushes off the edge of the cliff. He'd been sitting there awhile, thanks to that mysterious pull having abated somewhat, but now he could feel it creeping back up again. He's running as soon as he feet hit the ground, and for the first time he doesn't haven't to fight with himself to go back home.

His mind is trying to figure out why when the unfamiliar scent of a vampire meets his nose yards from the cabin and anger flares inside him, pushing all other thoughts out of his head.

When his home comes into sight, Peter slows to a walk and calls out, "You have two seconds to get out of my house and go away, or I will remove you myself and you won't leave unscathed."

Bella's head whips around as the growl of a voice meets her ears. She'd known this probably wasn't the best idea, when her body and mind had brought her here. Especially, when the area and cabin had been saturated in the scent of a mysterious vampire, but she'd been curious thanks to the fact that the restlessness had almost gone completely away.

Not quite knowing what to do, Bella doesn't move at first and then isn't even given a chance as the vampire appears in the doorway. Her eyes widen slightly as she takes in the male in front of her, her first thought is on how incredibly beautiful he is but she quickly shakes that off as a prickling sensation starts to creep up her back.

Across the room, Peter stares at the woman in front of him. He can't believe his eyes and for a moment he thinks he's finally gone crazy and started hallucinating. However, he knows if he did start seeing her, it wouldn't have been as a vampire. He doesn't know how she is, in a sense, alive, but for right now he doesn't care. All that matters is that she is there.

"Bella," he whispers as he steps forward, his hand coming up as if to touch her.

Bella's back straightens at the use of her name, and she growls in warning to keep him from coming closer.

He doesn't take the hint and she finds her face cupped between his hands as he stares down at her, his eyes roaming every inch of her face.

She doesn't like it, especially when the simple touch leaves her confused. Her mind screams at her to touch him back, that it's imperative she do so, and her hand is halfway to his face before she catches herself and lets it drop back down to her side. However, it doesn't stop what she's feeling and when she has an overwhelming need to kiss him she's had enough.

"What are you doing to me?" she hisses as she pushes him away, the force sending him backwards through the open door.

She follows immediately, but she doesn't make it anywhere close to him as an arm snakes around her waist, pulling her tight against a hard chest. Bella starts to struggle, catching the vampire holding her with an elbow to the chest before his scent surrounds her and she hears, "It's just me."

Bella stops attempting to get away, and swings her head around to look at Jasper. "Make him stop." she says, her eyes going back to the vampire in question.

"What is he doing?" Jasper asks, his own eyes moving to Peter.

"I don't know, but I don't like it." she hisses.

Jasper uses his gift, telling him exactly what both are feeling and he has to bite his cheek to keep from laughing.

When he's sure he has himself under control, he says, "Bella, sweetheart, he's not doing anything on purpose. We need to go back to the house, and then you'll understand."

"Fine, just get me away from him." she says.

"He has to come to." Jasper says, frowning when she turns her anger filled eyes back to him.

"No." she says with a shake of her head.

"I don't love it either, sweetheart, but again you'll understand soon."

Bella's head whips around toward Peter, giving him a look like all of this is his fault and Jasper just has to shake his head. This is going to be interesting.

Before they head back though, Jasper needs to know one thing. "Where's Charlotte?" he asks.

"Dead. So is Maria, before you ask." Peter answers.

"How?"

"I killed Maria a long time ago. As for Charlotte, Bella told me about the wolves in Forks. I watched them kill her." Peter says, earning a growl from Bella when he mentions her name again.

His eyes cut to her briefly before settling on Jasper again, and he has his own question.

"Can I expect to die if I go back with you?" he asks.

"Not anymore." Jasper says.

"What changed?"

"You'll understand soon too." Jasper says, and it's enough to annoy Bella even more than she already is.

With a huff she takes off into the trees without a word, ignoring both Jasper and the mysterious vampire all the way back to the house.

When she arrives, she slows to a stop as she sees the rest of her family standing on the front porch. Her eyes trail over each of them as Jasper and the other one stop just feet behind her. None seem surprised to see him with them, and she doesn't like it. She ignores Jasper as he says her name and looks to her dad.

"What's going on?" she asks.

He offers Bella a sad smile and motions her forward as he says, "Come inside, sweetheart. There are some things we need to tell you."

Bella doesn't like the sound of that, but only hesitates briefly before walking across the yard and up the porch steps. Her eyes are on her family the entire time, trying to find some clue of what is going on, but the only one that gives anything away is Rose: her anger is palpable as she looks at the mysterious male just over Bella's shoulder. Bella doesn't get a chance to say anything as her dad leads her into the living room and sits her down on the couch.

Much to her annoyance, he points to the cushion beside her and says, "Peter, please sit down." Bella opens her mouth to object, but he continues not giving her a chance to speak and what he says shocks the hell out of her.

He tells her everything, from the night she met this so-called Peter up until they found her dying in the cabin. When he stops speaking, he looks to Peter and says, "Now, you need to fill in some blanks, especially what happened in that cabin, what happened to Charlotte, and why you're still around"

So, then she listens to Peter, and with every word her anger grows. He makes it to when he went to the hospital and thought she'd died, before she can no longer sit still. Shooting up off the couch, her legs carry her across the room, putting as much distance between them as she can. She paces back and forth, feeling like she's a in cage she can't break out of. Her body is at war with itself, and she hates it; hates this feeling of wanting to rip him apart one minute and hug him the next.

She stops moving when her dad says her name, and her eyes lock on Peter's without a thought. It's enough to tip the battle raging inside, and she goes with the anger; it's easier to explain.

She doesn't take her eyes off Peter as she asks, her voice barely a whisper, "Why isn't he dead? Why is he allowed to sit in this house after what he's done?"

Peter flinches at her tone, but she doesn't care and when no one answers her he flinches again when she screams, "WHY?"

"Because there's more we haven't told you." her dad says, his tone enough to finally draw her attention away from Peter.

The look on her dad's face would have brought her to her knees any other time, but not today. Not when she needs to know what is going on.

"What is it?" she asks, the words sharp and biting when he doesn't say anything else.

Her dad glances around the room, and she doesn't miss the quick nod that comes from Jasper or that her mom reaches up and grips his hand, or any of the other small movements from everyone else. However, none of it matters when he opens his mouth.

"You're mates." he says.

Bella doesn't expect those words and at first she doesn't believe it. The things that happened with them isn't how mates were supposed to act. Mating didn't involve stalking and kidnapping, or her form of amnesia; she would remember him and he wouldn't have taken her from her family. Mating is love; it's being okay waking up to this life when all you had wanted to do was die, it's about begging for someone to be changed even though you hated this life, and it's about waiting in a diner for weeks just to meet the one you were destined to be with. It's about an all-consuming need to be with someone else that nothing else mattered. It's home and it's supposed to make you feel complete.

Bella doesn't feel complete. She doesn't want Peter to be her home. She doesn't know him, except for what's been said and she doesn't want that to change. She just wants him gone because he can't be who she's destined for.

 _Maybe he feels the same way_ , her mind says and her eyes find his immediately. However, the look on his face shatters everything even more. She doesn't need Jasper's gift to tell her that he believes they are what her dad says they are; it's written as clear as day on his face. He even seems happy about it, and that makes things even worse.

Shaking her head, she looks at each member of her family and she can't help but see them in a different light. They'd lied for months, kept things from her they had no right to keep to themselves. They could try to explain it away, but it wouldn't matter because at that moment she doesn't want to hear it and she doesn't want to be here anymore.

It's that thought that sends her back across the room. Her goal is to get out of this house, and she sidesteps Rose's hand as she reaches out. She doesn't stop as the others call her name when she jerks the front door off it's hinges, nor when they call out again as she takes off across the yard and disappears into the treeline.

She can't stop because with the way she's feeling only two things can happen if she does, either she'll be in pieces or someone else will be. She needs time to calm down, she needs time to think without them staring at her, and she needs time to figure out how to get out of this mess with Peter.

 **-F-**

 **So, she knows. I do like how I told you guys not to be mad at the top and then Bella gets mad though. LOL Oh well.**


	15. Making Sense of it All

**FAGE 9: The Last Ride**

 **Title: Fearless**

 **Written for: TheDarkestFallingStar**

 **Written By: abbymickey24**

 **Rating: M**

 **Summary/Prompt used:** **Write whatever you want as long as pairing is one of mine and there's some angst but a happy ending.**

 **If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.**

 **community/FAGE-9-The-Last-Ride/93625/**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

 **SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY. I know this took a long time to get out, but I completely lost my mojo. If it wasn't for my person, best friend, sister from another mister, and mistress (all the same person) then I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be updating today, so a big HUMONGOUS SHOUT OUT to Brenda aka gem_del_mar. She is amazing in the way she gets my brain to work sometimes. I Fluff you so hard woman.**

 **I hope you enjoy this last regular chapter. Only an epi to go and hoping (crosses everything I can) that it won't be long before you get it.**

 **Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, or Happy Holidays, depending on what you and your family celebrate this time of year. MWAH**

 **Not beta'd yet, so mistakes are mine. Will fix soon.**

 **Chapter 15 of 16**

 **-F-**

Bella runs through the trees, her mind going a million miles an hour. She doesn't know what to think or feel about Peter being her mate or her family's lies, but she does know she needs to talk to someone that can help her make sense of the whole mess.

She isn't surprised to find herself back in front of the cabin after a while, since she now knows this is where her new life started. Once inside, she drops down on the small bed and looks around. There's nothing to the small building, just four walls, the bed, and a chair. She tries to remember the few days she spent here, but gives up when nothing comes to her. Instead, she pulls her phone from her pocket and turns it over in her hands, trying to figure out who she can speak to about everything.

The answer is almost immediate and she quickly pulls up his name on her phone, hitting send. It rings twice and then Marcus' kind voice is in her ear.

 _"I had a feeling I'd be hearing from you soon, sweetheart."_ he says, and she can picture the small smile on his face.

"So, it's true?" she asks. "Am I really mated to him?"

 _"Well, it's true you are mated, but as for the one you speak of I wouldn't know until I meet him. However, how does he make you feel?"_

"Angry, annoyed, but …"

 _"But what, sweetheart?"_ Marcus prompts when she trails off.

Bella thinks on what she's felt since she met him and finally, much to Marcus' amusement, says, "When I first saw him, I wanted to touch him and there was a moment that I even wanted to kiss him. Then I wanted to kick his ass."

 _"And now, that he's not near you?"_

"I want to go back to where he is." Bella says, her voice so low that if Marcus wasn't a vampire he wouldn't have heard her.

 _"I think you have your answer, sweetheart."_ he says, chuckling slightly when she replies.

"But why Peter?"

 _"Why is the sky blue?"_

"That doesn't help." Bella says, and even she can hear the pout in her tone.

 _"Sweetheart, love isn't easy or predictable, even more so with our kind."_

"But I don't love him."

 _"Maybe not yet, but you will."_

"This isn't fair. It wasn't supposed to be this way."

 _"Most things never go the way we plan."_

"So, I'm just stuck with him? I don't even know him."

 _"How much did Carlisle know Esme before he changed her? How much did Rosalie know Emmett?"_

"That's not the same thing. They saw something in each other first."

 _"And maybe you both saw something in each other too, but you just don't remember it."_

"You're supposed to be on my side." Bella says petulantly.

 _"Oh, sweetheart, I am always on your side. I only want you to be happy and knowing how bonds work, I know you're going to eventually be very happy. You just have to let yourself be. And if you do, in a few months time our conversation will be very different."_

"If you say so," Bella says, wanting to be stubborn for a little bit longer.

 _"I'll make a deal with you then. If in two months time, you aren't happy with what fate has given you, I'll send Demetri and Felix to take him out of the equation."_

"Promise?" Bella asks.

 _"I promise,"_ Marcus says with a chuckle, _"Even though I know I won't have to worry about keeping it."_

"You will if I ignore him for the next two months." Bella says, causing him to laugh full out.

 _"Go ahead and try, sweetheart. Now that you know about Peter, and where he is, if your mating bond is with him, ignoring him won't be an option."_

Bella huffs a breath through her nose at his words, and says, "We'll see."

Marcus chuckles again, but ignores her comment. She'll understand soon.

He waits for her to say anything else, but after minutes pass with nothing but silence on the other end, he asks, _"What else can I help you with?"_

Everyone lied to me." she says after a moment.

 _"About what?"_ Marcus asks.

"About everything. Peter and how I was turned."

 _"Oh, you know they only did that to pro-"_

"Protect me." Bella finishes, cutting him off. "I know, but still."

 _"Sweetheart, what was it like in your head after you woke up?"_ Marcus asks, hoping he'll be able to help her understand.

Bella thinks only a moment before she says, "It was chaos."

 _"Exactly. You had so much going on, so many things to gain control of, and figure out. Adding in anything that wasn't a pressing matter, would have complicated everything so much more. Also you should know, Carlisle only lied because I advised him it was for the best."_

"You did?"

 _"Yes, and I would give him the same advice again if I had to."_

"Why? Why would all of you want to keep this from me?"

 _"We didn't want to, sweetheart. It's what was for the best."_

"Because I was just a stupid newborn, right?"

 _"No."_ Marcus says. _"You've never been stupid, Isabella. As for the newborn part, yes that did play a role in it though. When I told Carlisle that you were mated to someone not in the castle, it didn't take him long to realize that it was more than likely going to be the one that took you."_

"So."

 _"So, you have to remember that you don't remember anything about what happened leading up to your change, and the family only knew so much. You were gone three days, and they had no clue what was happening to you other than the few snippets that Alice was able to get. When they found you, on the verge of death, you were alone. Yes, you were able to tell them who did and didn't hurt you, but other than that they were lost on everything else. They didn't know if Peter was still alive or where he was. Jasper knew Charlotte, knew what she was capable of, and knew that going after Peter would be asking for trouble especially without a plan."_

"That made it okay for all of you to lie to me?"

 _"Let me ask you a question."_ Marcus says, ignoring her own. _"If Alice disappeared, what would Jasper do?"_

"He'd destroy anything in his path until he found her." Bella answers immediately.

 _"Exactly, but he'd be smart about it. He'd have a plan and know everything he could. It's the same way with any of us here."_

"Okay." Bella says, her tone bordering on annoyance.

 _"Now take that missing mate and combine it with a newborn's uncontrollable anger. What would happen?"_

"I don't know."

 _"Yes, you do."_

"No, I don't." Bella says, finally exasperated with the conversation.

 _"Yes, you do."_ Marcus says firmly. _"If you found out you had a mate when the family did, and knew that there was a possibility that he was being tortured or could be killed at any second, what would you have done?"_

When Bella doesn't respond to that, he continues. _"I'll tell you what you would have done. You would have went after him, and the only way any of us could have been able to stop you would have caused you pain. You can be mad at us for lying and keeping it from you, and that's fine. But we didn't do it to hurt you and we weren't going to keep it from you forever. You just had to be ready to hear it."_

Again, Bella doesn't respond and Marcus sighs.

 _"Sweetheart, can you not see our side at all?"_ he asks.

"I don't know." Bella answers honestly. "I need some time to think about everything you said."

 _"Fair enough."_ Marcus says. _"I'll let you go. Just remember we love you, and it was never our intention to upset you."_

Bella nods, even though she knows he can't see her, and hangs up without saying anything back. With a sigh, she falls back onto the bed and stares at the ceiling.

As Bella thoughts swirl with all that has happened tonight, back at the house Peter is annoyed.

"Where are you going?" Rosalie snaps as he stands from the couch and moves toward the door.

"To find Bella, she's been gone a while." he growls as he shoots her a glare.

"No, you're not." she hisses, taking a step toward him. "We already told you, she'll come back. She just needs time."

"She's my mate." Peter growls.

"She's my sister."

"Mate trumps sister."

"Not in this case." Rose shoots back.

"Alright, let's settle down."

Both Rose and Peter ignore Carlisle as they continue to glare and snap at each other, neither wanting to back down.

"You don't get to come in here, especially after what you did, and start acting possessive and making decisions." Rose hisses.

"And you don't get to tell me what to do when it comes to my mate." Peter hisses back.

"Enough."

While Carlisle had been easy to ignore, Esme's loud voice was not.

Peter and Rose both look to her immediately, and both take a step back as she levels them with a glare. They both open their mouths to speak first, but the narrowing of her eyes has them staying silent.

"Rose, we all know you don't like the situation, none of us really do. However, that doesn't change the fact that he is Bella's mate and therefore a member of this family now. And his voice and opinion holds weight here. He will be afforded the same respect as anyone else in this house. Bella is the only one that gets to choose what happens when it comes to him, and she will not have you or anyone else making that more difficult for her. So, you will not be going to find her, and you most definitely will not fill her head with all the things you don't like about him. Do I make myself clear?"

Rose wants to argue, but she knows it will do no good. So instead, she huffs out a breath and crosses her arms.

Peter smirks until Esme turns her eyes on him and steps forward, poking him hard in the chest.

"While all I said was true, you won't be going after her either."

"She's my mate." Peter says a little too loudly, earning growls from everyone else in the room.

Esme ignores the others and pokes Peter again as she says, "And we still know her better than you. She won't want to see you right now, and by the way she left she doesn't even want to see us."

"Maybe you shouldn't have lied then."

"And maybe you should have come to the door, instead of stalking, kidnapping, and keeping her from her family, all of which ended her human life." Esme hisses, her eyes darkening with anger. "While Bella may be mad at us, and she has every right to, you don't. You and you alone started this, and while we might accept you being her mate, don't think for a second we've forgiven everything you've done."

Peter is properly chastised with Esme's words and steps back from her, knowing she's right. It's what he's spent the last year thinking and beating himself up about, and he knows that he's going to have to figure out a way to make amends for it.

Seeing that he isn't going to argue, Esme says, "Now, Carlisle and I will go after Bella. I would suggest you get to know your new brothers and sisters, because your mate loves them very much and having their support will go a long way in getting her on board with everything."

Esme smiles slightly when Peter's eyes dart over to the other four, but there really isn't anything that should unnerve him. Alice and Emmett actually look open to getting to know him if their smiles are any indication. Jasper just seems curious, but Esme knows that can change on a dime if Peter does something he doesn't like, especially when it comes to Bella. Rose on the other hand, is still staring at him with open hostility, not that Esme is surprised. Rose won't allow herself to like him or accept him until Bella does.

Knowing there is nothing more that can be said at the moment, Esme takes Carlisle's hand and the two of them head toward the door.

Just before they disappear through it and take off running, Esme says, "Play nice."

Carlisle and Esme continue to hold hands as they follow Bella's scent. They both seem to need that connection, since they aren't quite sure what her temperament is or how she'll greet them when they find her. When it becomes obvious where she's gone, that connection is even more important, as all they can think about is the last time they found her at the cabin. Though they know this time will be vastly different, they still can't forget those moments where they weren't sure they could save her.

Bella hears Carlisle and Esme arrive, but says nothing. It's not like they don't know she's there, and even after the phone call with Marcus, she is still mad at them. Bella glances their way briefly as they come to a stop in the doorway, but again she doesn't say a word. They don't speak either, waiting on her to give them a sign on whether they should go or stay.

Five minutes becomes ten and then fifteen before Bella finally says, "I'm mad at all of you."

"We know," Carlisle replys with a sigh. "But we didn't lie to hurt you."

"I know that." Bella says. "I called Marcus, but it still doesn't make it right."

"No, it doesn't." Esme agrees. "You have every reason to be mad and to not want to speak to us. But we are sorry, sweetheart."

Bella nods and then swings her legs off the side of the bed, sitting up so she can look at them. "I don't know when I'll stop being mad or when I can forgive you for keeping something like this from me."

"We understand." Carlisle says. "But can you please come home and be mad at us there instead?"

Bella has to stop the smile that wants to make a quick appearance, and once she succeeds she asks, "Is he going to be there?"

"He is," Esme answers. "He's your mate, Bella. We can't ask him to leave."

"Why not?" Bella asks, not thinking about the promise she made to Marcus at the moment.

"Because you'd follow him wherever he went." Carlisle answers matter-of-factly.

"No I wouldn't."

"You would." Carlisle says. "You might be able to fight it for a while, but eventually, you would follow him. That's why you were so restless in Volterra, and it's why you came here, a place you don't remember, when we got back. And if I'm not mistaken if you take a moment you'll find that that feeling, now that you know where Peter is, isn't there anymore."

Bella is silent for a minute, her head and body telling her he's right.

"I don't want to be his mate." she says in annoyance as she knows it's really not something she can change.

"We know," Esme says, coming forward slowly. When Bella doesn't stop her or move away, she lowers herself to sit beside her daughter and continues as Carlisle moves to Bella's other side. "But that's just how it is. Give him a chance, just like we are. Maybe he'll surprise you, maybe he won't, but either way he's yours forever."

"That's pretty much what Marcus says," Bella grumbles.

Carlisle chuckles. "When it comes to bonds between our kind, he is the expert.."

With a groan, a sigh, and a shake of her head, Bella pushes herself to her feet. "I guess we can go back now."

Carlisle and Esme share a look of amusement as Bella disappears out the door. Both feel she might not be as annoyed as she's letting on at the idea of Peter being her mate, but only time would tell really. They both knew though, even if she didn't seem to be thinking about her anger with them as much right now. It would come back soon and they would do whatever they could to make up for their lie.

They follow behind Bella, keeping her within sight but leaving enough distance so she doesn't feel crowded. They make it back to the house just in time to hear the breaking of glass as Peter sails through the front window.

All three stop on the edge of the yard as his back hits the ground, and he slides a good ten feet before coming to stop just short of where they stand. Bella rushes to his side and crouches down, her eyes darting all over him as she checks for injuries.

"Who?" she growls, her head swiveling toward the front of the house where the others are framed on the other side of the broken window.

"Me." Rose says, her arms crossed across her chest. "He wouldn't shut up, so I made him."

Bella opens her mouth to say something only to snap it closed quickly as she remembers she doesn't want to care or be concerned about him. Another growl leaves her as she shoots to her feet and turns, stomping toward the house and inside. No one moves until her bedroom door slams closed.

Carlisle sighs as Esme deals with Rose, sending her and Emmett off to get the supplies to fix the window. He watches Peter pick himself up and brush himself off. Peter gives Carlisle a look of annoyance before he storms off into the trees.

He needs to hunt or at least find something to work out the frustration of this whole situation. Peter had spent the last year only thinking about Bella and making amends to her family if he ever saw them again, but now all he wants to do is steal Bella away and run so far they'd never find them.

After taking down a moose, the poor thing suffering a little more than was needed, Peter's earlier thoughts once again change. He knows he can't take Bella away. For one, she wouldn't allow it this time. Not that she had before, but he couldn't use the same methods anymore and it would cause both of them more hurt than it was worth. And two, most of the others didn't seem so bad. Sure he didn't know them well, but they weren't hostile to him at all and even seemed open to accepting him.

However, Rosalie was the exception. As soon as Carlisle and Esme were out of earshot, she'd started in about how Bella was never going to love him or want him, and that she didn't care what Esme said, she would fill Bella's head with as much vitriol and disdain as she could. He'd tried to ignore it and the others had tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen and he finally had enough, his words exploding out of him like a bomb. He'd called her out on her sanctimonious bullshit, and how she really didn't have the room to talk as she'd spent the last year lying to Bella.

If he'd been thinking straight he might have noticed the others backing away then, but he was too lost in his own anger to pay attention. He did notice the glare she leveled at him and the step she took in his direction, but her scathing reply that Bella wasn't my property and that I'd done nothing to deserve the right to call her my mate pissed me off even more. So much so that he couldn't help but come back with she needed to suck it up, that no matter how much she loathed him Bella was and always would be his mate, and being a judgmental hateful bitch wasn't going to change it.

She'd called him a bastard and before he could even open his mouth, she'd launched herself at him, catching him square in the chest, sending him through the window behind him.

That's how Bella had found him, and if she hadn't come immediately to his side Esme house would have been damaged further, since he would have happily returned the favor to the blonde banshee if given the chance, but Bella's touch had calmed him just enough. Granted, her rejection seconds later led him to where he was now, and trying to make sense of it all.

He'd never expected today to turn out like it had, it was a twisted blend of surreality and cruelty wrapped up with a huge fucking bow. He'd wanted this, wanted her back, but he couldn't even begin to see where they went from here. What was he supposed to do now? He couldn't leave that was for sure, but was he supposed to just wait around, taking the abuse that was bound to come his way? Was he supposed to be okay with Bella not wanting anything to do with him?

Huffing out a weary breath, Peter watches the sky start to lighten. He'd been out in the woods for a while, and he still wasn't any closer to figuring shit out. And then it hit him like a bolt of lightning. He'd fought to be close to her once, maybe not in the traditional sense and maybe not in the best way possible, but he'd done it. He'd spent the last year wanting nothing except her, and he wasn't going down without a fight even if it meant pissing her off. At least pissed off, she was showing him some kind of emotion.

With that thought in mind, Peter heads back to the house. He enters the front door, his eyes meeting the golden ones of the others, but he doesn't stop as he heads right up the stairs. Alice has to hide a grin when she catches a flash of what is to come, and the determination radiating from Peter has Jasper imagining what she saw and fighting his own grin.

Peter follows Bella's scent and from downstairs all that can be heard is the almost too loud pounding as Peter's fist meets Bella's door.

A deep growl is followed by Bella shouting, "Go away!"

"No, we need to talk."

"We don't need to do anything. Now go away!"

"Not gonna happen, sweetheart. I'm not going anywhere until you talk to me."

"A female praying mantis beheads her mate and if you don't leave me alone, I'll rip off yours, too. There, we talked. Now go away, I don't want to deal with you right now … or ever if I can help it."

"I knew that one, smart-ass, but you conveniently left out the part about how we'd have to have sex first. I can think of worse ways to go."

"You truly are insufferable. Go. Away!" she growls just before something heavy hits the other side of the door.

"Dammit, Bella. Stop being so fucking stubborn and open the damn door." he yells out in utter exasperation.

"Vaffanculo." she yells.

"Telling me to fuck off in Italian didn't work last time. I'll just break the damn door down if that's what it takes."

"Don't you fucking dare, Peter." she seethes.

"Open the damn door then, because I'm not going away. I already lived a year in absolute hell without you so you might as well get use to the idea right now that you're stuck with me ... _forfuckingever_."

Bella prickles at his use of the word _forever_ ; she's really getting tired of hearing that damn word today. Before she can tell him where he can stick his forever he continues, "So, what will it be, Bella? Are you going to open the door or do I have to kick it down? You have till the count of three to decide. One-"

"Don't threaten me, asshole."

"Two-"

"I swear if you come in this room, I will kick your ass."

Peter doesn't bother saying three, instead his foot hits next to the doorknob taking the whole thing off it's hinges. Bella is across the room, not quite believing that he actually kicked her door down. Her wide eyes meet his narrowed ones, there's a look of surprise on her face before absolute anger takes over. For a small moment, Peter regrets his decision, but then Bella is on him and he can only think about keeping all his limbs attached. She's like a rabid dog in her attack, all teeth and nails. He doesn't want to hurt her, but when she comes close to taking out one of his eyes, he can't let this continue. She's fighting dirty and if he' learned anything from his time with Maria and Charlotte it was how to fight the same way.

Her hair is the first thing he can get his hands on and getting a good grip on it, he flings her across the room. Her back hits the wall next to the window with enough force that it not only shatters it, but sends the bookshelf on the other side toppling to the ground.

Downstairs Esme worriedly says, "We have to stop this."

Alice shakes her head with a grin as Carlisle stands up. "Don't. It will be fine. Trust me."

Carlisle gives her his own worried look as more sounds of destruction meets their ears, but Alice continues to smile. And even a quick glance at Jasper shows him that he seems to be in agreement with his wife. Carlisle sits back down as a thud comes from upstairs and then silence, which worries him even more but he stays where he is, waiting like the others.

Back in Bella's room it's like a tornado has swept through. All but one wall has holes at random intervals, all the furniture will need to be replaced, and almost everything else is in pieces. But Peter is finally where he needs to be, with his arms wrapped around her from behind and his back against the only undamaged wall. He's got a few new bite marks, even more scratches, and he's leaking venom from somewhere, but he doesn't care.

"Enough," he growls against her ear as she strains against his hold. "You've made your point."

"Not if you're still here, I haven't." she hisses back.

"I already told you I'm not going anywhere." he says flipping them both around until she's the one with her back pressed against the wall. She tries to get a cheap shot in with her foot, but he slams her back and a feral growl leaves him before he can stop it.

Bella's chin drops to her chest immediately and at once all the fight leaves her. Peter doesn't know what to make of it, wondering for a moment if it's just a ploy to catch him off guard, but minutes pass without any movement. And then she she draws in breath and looks up at him as a smile lifts one side of her mouth before the other follows.

He hears Alice say, "finally", from downstairs before Bella says words that bring a tentative smile to his own face, "That didn't scare me when I was human, so why do you think it will work now?"

"You remember?" he asks, not wanting to hope but also feeling it creep up.

"Not everything." she says with a shake of her head. "But enough. I remember that first night in the alley and you leaving the cabin to get me a jacket, I remember that I didn't want you to bring me back yet."

She closes her eyes tightly when she finishes as her hands come up and curl into the bottom of his shirt like she's trying to make herself remember more.

"I didn't want to take you back yet." he whispers as he lets go of her arms, not knowing what else to do.

Another smile flits across her lips before one hand moves from his side and before he can do anything else she uses it to slap him in the back of the head.

"Ow,' he hisses, earning a laugh from her. "What was that for?

"You hit me with a book."

"You were being uncooperative." he says, his own smile coming back. "If it helps though, I stole that damn book just to have a small reminder of you, and economics is one of the most boring subjects ever."

Another rumble of a laugh leaves Bella chest as her eyes meet his.

"So, what now?" he asks after a moment.

"Now," she answers, giving him a dazzling smile. "We figure this mating shit out together. After we fix my room that is."

With a quick glance around, Peter laughs and pulls her into his arms for a hug. "Yeah, we can do that." he whispers against her hair and for the first time in a long time, he feels at peace because everything seems to have finally fallen into place.

 **-F-**  
 ***nervously bites thumbnail* Well?**


End file.
